San Nicola of Collepardo. Between Spirituality and Defense, the Hybrid Identity of a Medieval Monastery

Abstract This contribution examines the medieval fortified monastery of San Nicola, located in the hamlet of Civita di Collepardo (FR). The complex, today abandoned, occupies a strategic position in the Cosa river valley and preserves a layered architectural fabric reflecting centuries of functional transformations. The study combines modern surveying techniques with extensive historical and archival research, enabling the identification of the main construction phases and the analysis of both defensive and agricultural features. These include constructive and typological solutions. By comparing San Nicola with other fortified monastic sites in central Italy the study situates the complex within a wider network of rural monastic outposts that fulfilled both religious and strategic roles. The case of San Nicola thus contributes to defining the hybrid typology of the fortified rural monastery and demonstrates how an integrated analytical approach can reveal architectural and functional characteristics that are not immediately evident in marginal or poorly documented sites.