Principal monastery of the Benedictine order, located in Latium, central Italy.
It was founded 0441; 529 by St. Benedict of Nursia and reached its peak under Desiderius (later Pope Victor III ), who was abbot 105887. Its buildings were destroyed by the Lombards ( 0441; 581), the Arabs (883), an earthquake (1349), and World War II bombardment (1944), but were rebuilt each time. It was reconsecrated in 1964.