In order to pay these taxes gold and silver artefacts from the church treasure were melted down or sold.

Due to financial problems, most of the church treasure had to be sold.

"But everywhere else," Sharpe said, "the church treasures are hidden!"

Within months the French were closing convents and seizing church treasures.

Many of the church treasures were lost during this period.

Today the church treasure is only a fraction of what it once was.

During restoration works in 1997 there came to light some of the old church treasure: relics, textiles and reliquaries.

Monks were killed in the abbey, thrown into the sea to drown, or carried away as slaves along with the church treasures.

Moreover, there is no complete inventory of Italy's religious art, and so church treasures are often untraceable.

The property, church treasure and choir pews were sold.