The Montecassino Abbey is one of the best known Abbeys in the world. In 529 San Benedetto chose this mountain to build a monastery that would house him and those monks who followed him from Subiaco. Paganism was still present, but he managed to transform this place into a well-structured Christian monastery where everyone could have the dignity they deserved, through prayer and work. "Ora et Labora et Lege": this is the motto of the Rule of Saint Benedict that the monks still follow in their daily routine: some study in the library surrounded by ancient books, or do research in the archive on wonderful manuscripts, others welcome guests who they come in search of a moment of inner peace and serenity. And if you are visiting the Abbey, you may encounter some taking a walk in the cloisters before returning to their cells to pray in solitude, or to meet later for common prayer. Thousands of pilgrims and visitors from all over the world cross this threshold every day. They silently cross the cloisters and then climb the grand staircase to the Basilica, to the tomb of San Benedetto and Santa Scolastica. Then there is the crypt, below, to be discovered with the stupendous golden mosaics. But it is in the museum that visitors can finally see magnificent paintings, wonderful manuscripts and ancient books; they can retrace the history of the Abbey from its beginnings to today and understand why Montecassino is known as the "Lighthouse of Western Civilization".