Residents of Italian city ask monastery not to become hotel

A group of residents in the Italian city of Sorrento has launched a petition to prevent a 17th-century monastery from being turned into a hotel.

Santa Maria delle Grazie, located in the heart of the municipality, was for centuries the home of nuns of the Dominican order, but the death of the last nun raised concerns among residents about the future of the structure.

"Turn a 17th-century monastery in Sorrento into a vacation rental? No thanks!" residents wrote in a petition sent to local authorities that has already gathered nearly 1,000 signatures.

Declared a cultural asset of public interest by the Italian state, the monastery is subject to analysis by the Ministry of Culture regarding the compatibility of its possible uses. As a result, the space could be converted into a hotel or vacation home due to its vast area.

The petition's signatories ask that the monastery remain what it has always been: a place of prayer and silence, but also a space for social and cultural activities, respecting the wishes of its founder, Berardina Donnorso.

"We request that hospitality activities of a tourist nature be formally excluded. Many monasteries and religious institutions have already been transformed, more or less explicitly, into hotels. This option must be formally excluded from those permitted," the document adds.