Once, the place where the Monastery now stands was the seat of the Gastaldaga, the royal palace of the ruling town, the civitas, of all the Longobard dukedoms. This section was added during the Longobard period, south-eastwards of the Roman settlement; it was also the residence of the Gastald, (the Gastaldius regius, i.e. the placeholder and administrator of the Longobard king, residing in Pavia). Later on, the king himself ordered the institution of the Monastery, approximately in mid 7^th century, in the same area where the Gastaldaga was settled, with the purpose of hosting a first community of Benedictine nuns.

Allegedly, the community of Benedictine nuns moved here from the Monastery of Salt di Povoletto in mid-late 8th century, and – tradition says –  it first gathered around the noble abbess Piltrude, (someone assumes she was a queen).When the Duke Berengario (888-924) donated them with the mansion of the Gastald, the “Oratory of Santa Maria in Valle – formerly palatine chapel of the Gastaldaga – the building  was enlarged and refurbished to meet the requirements of the newly settled monastic community. However, the first written records date back to the 9^th century and refer to the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle, and not to the Temple, also known as Tempietto Longobardo. The monastery was, for sure, a royal institution, therefore only women coming from the local noble families were admitted. One of the most renowned researchers of every possible issue related to the Tempietto, the Norwegian scholar Hjalmar Torp, suggests that the female cenoby was promoted by Giseltrude, the wife of king Astolfo. It seems in fact that she retired here in 756, once she became a widow.

A controversy is ongoing about the foundation date of the Tempietto Longobardo and the cultural skills of the workers employed for the erection of same. It is commonly accepted to date it back to the 8^th century, upon the end of the Longobard kingdom, that is at the times of king Astolfo (749-756) or otherwise of king Desiderio (756 – 774, the last of Longobard kings, joined in the royal charge by his son Adelchi in 759). By all means, the most relevant period for the life of the Monastery is the 13th century, when the structure was certainly enlarged and renewed; remarkable masterpieces which we can still admire, were added, such as the carved wooden choir, and the frescoes visible on the walls.

The structure of the monastery, as we see it today, dates back to the beginning of the 16^th century, and precisely to 1511. In 1841 the Ursuline Sisters were entrusted of the housing estate, and here they lived until 1999.  The cloister has an irregular shape, similar to a scalene trapezium. Apart for the Tempietto Longobardo and the remains of the ancient Roman walls included in same on the side facing south, the most ancient parts of the monastic building seem to head north-westwards along the way that is now named Via Monastero Maggiore.  The cloister has an irregular shape; it is encircled by a large portico that faces onto a shady garden. The covered walk heading southwards presents a fresco painted by Francesco Colussi in 1795 and depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by singing angels and scenes of stories from the life of Saint Scholastica and Saint Benedict. In earlier times the nuns submitted to the cloister rule could reach the Temple only passing through the eastern part of the portico.  During the 19^th century the Ursuline Sisters have contributed to create a beautiful Nativity Scene, which is now  placed in a special  air-conditioned hall under the bell tower of the church of Saint John Baptist It is crowded by big wax statues dressed with clothes shaped according to the local popular fashion at those times, and indicated with vernacular names. It can be admired all year round.