Montecassino Abbey stands on the acropolis of ancient Casinum. It is one of the most famous monasteries in Christendom, founded in 529 AD by St. Benedict of Norcia. In its thousand-year history, the Abbey of Montecassino has been destroyed four times. The Abbey that appears in the eyes of tourists, pilgrims and visitors today was rebuilt over the course of a decade, recovering some of the materials from the rubble, among other things.