CASINO, or MONTE CASINO, a celebrated Benedictine abbey in Italy, in the Neapolitan province of Caserta, near the small town of Cassino and about 45 miles from the city of Naples, founded by Saint Benedict of Norcia in 529 on the site of a temple of Apollo. It was the original home of the Benedictine order. It is situated on a mountain, from which it derives its name, near the ruins of the ancient Casinum, and is approached by a well-paved and winding road. The abbey, after having suffered repeated reverses, finally be came considerable for its privileges and its wealth, and in the 11th and 12th centuries was the seat of science, particularly of medicine, the celebrated school of Salerno having been founded by the monks of Monte Casino. The church is very magnificent, although overloaded with ornament, and contains the tomb of the founder. The present buildings were erected
from 1637 to 1727. The library and archives contain 50,000 printed books and 30,000 incu nabula. The monastery has served as a place of refuge to several sovereigns and pontiffs, and was formerly much visited by pilgrims and trav elers, who were entertained free of expense. It is still visited by travelers or tourists, but it is no longer a conventual institution, being enrolled as a national monument in 1866. The railway from Rome now passes near it. Con sult Clausse, 'Les origins benedictines' (Paris 1899); Rickenbach, 'Monte-Cassino von seiner Grfindung bis zu seiner hochsten Bliite unter Abt Desiderius) (Einsiedeln 1884-85); Taeggi,