Abbeys & Monasteries
Below is an illustrated index of the 89 Abbeys & Monasteries profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. For photo credits, please see corresponding articles.
The Ladies' Abbey was founded by Queen Mathilda, the wife of William the Conqueror, in 1063. Its church, La Trinité, is a fine example of Romanesque architecture.
The Men's Abbey was founded by William the Conquerer in the 11th century. Its church, the Romanesque Église St-Etienne, is the largest and most impressive church in Caen.
This peaceful abbey dates from medieval times but has been used for government offices since the French Revolution. The abbey church has a beautifully simple barrel-vaulted nave.
Made famous by James Bond, this is perhaps the most dramatically positioned Meteora monastery. It is perched atop a slender pinnacle and accessible only by 140 steep steps.
This little 14th-century monastery of the Meteora is approached by a relatively gentle path. Inside it features splendid frescoes by famed Cretan painter Theophanes the Monk.
This active nunnery in the Meteora contains an important relic: the head of St. Charalambos, whose powers include warding off illness.
This spectacular Cistercian monastery (founded 1153) features fine Manueline architecture and a giant kitchen with a stream running through it.
King Joao I founded this Dominican monastery after winning a major battle. The splendid edifice was constructed over two centuries in the Gothic and Manueline styles.
Byland Abbey is one of the three great Cistercian monasteries of North Yorkshire, with Fountains and Rievaulx. Although the community had a rocky start, its abbey church was once the largest in England.
Founded in 1098, the Abbaye de Cîteaux is a historically important abbey located south of Dijon, France. It is the mother house of the Cistercian monastic order, which is named for the abbey.
This active Cistercian monastery southeast of Rome dates from the 13th century. Its austere church has delicate columns, vaulted ceilings, small stained-glass windows and a lovely cloister.
The village of Cerne Abbas owes its existence to this Benedictine abbey founded in 987 AD. Interesting parts like the Abbot's Hall and guest house still stand.
The extensive ruins include a cathedral, castle, round tower, numerous churches, two important high crosses, and a large collection of early Christian grave slabs on display in the museum.
Nestled high in the hills of southwest France, the picturesque little village of Conques is home to a magnificent Romanesque church and a golden medieval shrine.
A World Heritage Site, this fortified monastery offers some fascinating Templar history and the astounding stone carvings characteristic of Manueline architecture.
The main shrine of St. Teresa in Ávila, this 17th-century convent stands on the site of Teresa's birth and contains her relics.
This partially ruined Carmelite convent was Lisbon's largest until it was severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake. Today open-air summer orchestral concerts are held beneath its majestic archways.
This 11th-century Byzantine monastery and World Heritage Site is famed for the golden mosaics that cover its walls.
Dryburgh Abbey is a ruined 12th-century abbey located on the Tweed River in the Borders region of Scotland. It is the final resting place of Sir Walter Scott.
The important Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedeln includes the relics of a saint, a miraculous Black Madonna statue, and a Benedictine monastery. Einsiedeln is also home to the world's largest nativity scene.
A peacefully isolated church and monastery in the wooded slopes outside Assisi's walls, this was the first monastic home of St. Francis and his followers.
Founded in 1142, the Abbaye de l'Escaladieu served as the burial place for the counts of Bigorre and was a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago.
Nestled in a wooded valley in Burgundy, the Abbey of Fontenay is a well-restored 12th-century Cistercian monastery founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Nestled in a green valley not far from Narbonne, the 12th-century Cisterican Abbey of Fontfroide is one of the most complete abbey complexes remaining today.
Begun in 1163, Fossanova is considered a magnificent example of Cistercian architecture, reflecting that of Clairvaux.
Founded by Cistercian monks in 1132, this is the largest monastic ruin in Britain. It offers many interesting things to see in a beautiful natural setting.
Shrouded in mystery and legend, Glastonbury Abbey is a highly atmospheric ruin on one of the oldest Christian sites in Britain. Its buildings are fine examples of Norman architecture.
This conical hill, topped by a 14th-century church tower, may have been a place of ancient ritual and it was a place of penance and pilgrimage for Catholics in medieval times.
This ancient monastic settlement in a spectacular natural setting was founded by St. Kevin, a hermit monk (d.618). Its extensive ruins include several churches and a graceful round tower.
The most famous and important of the Meteora monasteries, Great Meteoron has a large church topped by a 12-sided dome and decorated with elaborate frescoes.
This ruined Cistercian monastery in Gloucestershire was once a major medieval pilgrimage destination. Founded by the brother of King Henry III in 1246, it was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539.
Located 30 miles from Milwaukee amid breathtaking scenery, Holy Hill Basilica is a historic sacred site and a registered national landmark. It attracts more than 300,000 pilgrims and visitors each year.
Founded in 1345 by St. Sergius and containing his relics, this is the most important monastery in Russia and the spiritual center of Russian Orthodox Christianity.
Holyrood Abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I for Augustinian monks from St Andrews. Holyrood Palace, home of Scottish royalty, was later built next to the abbey.
The Irish missionary St. Columba established a monastery on the island of Iona in 563 AD, from which Celtic Christianity spread throughout Scotland. Today it hosts the ecumenical Iona Community.
An impressive example of Manueline architecture, this spectacular monastery showcases the wealth that poured into Lisbon from the colonies during the Age of Discovery.
On this tidal island off the northeast coast of England, a monastery was founded in the 7th century by St. Aidan of Iona. Today it is a center for Celtic Christianity, a place for spiritual retreats, and a popular tourist destination.
Located 50 km from Damascus, Maalula is the only place in the world that still speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Home to two ancient Christian monasteries, it attracts Christian and Muslim pilgrims.
The surviving third of this once-great Benedictine abbey now functions as a parish church. The south door has wonderful Norman carvings.
The Monastery of Mar Mousa al-Habashi is an active monastery in the Syrian mountains that dates from the 6th century. It was founded by St. Moses the Ethiopian and is known for its beautiful ancient frescoes and peaceful atmosphere.
Picturesquely located on the wooded shores of a crater lake, this Benedictine abbey church is a beautiful and important example of German Romanesque architecture.
The highest abbey in the world (4,400 feet), the Benedictine monastery of Marienberg was founded in 1150.
This Cistercian abbey is mostly in ruins, but there is a fine lavabo that is mostly intact, along with the chapter house and a section of the cloister. Nearby are ruins of a gateway and a small church.
This Cistercian abbey south of Edinburgh was founded in 1136 and is now in picturesque ruins. It said to enshrine the heart of Robert the Bruce.
Completed in 1100 AD, the cloister of Moissac Abbey in southwest France is one of the finest galleries of Romanesque art in the world. It is the oldest and largest cloister with narrative capitals.
This ancient monastic site includes a large cemetery, two ruined churches, a tall round tower and two of the finest high crosses in Ireland.
Nestled in a charming little square, the second of Central Madrid's royal Hapsburg monasteries contains a fascinating relics room.
An important pilgrimage stop, this Carmelite convent is where St. Teresa of Ávila lived, wrote and had many of her mystical experiences.
This Hapsburg convent was founded in 1559 by Joan of Austria, whose daughter hid away here rather than endure marriage to Felipe II. It is now a museum of the treasures given to the convent.
This church was founded by Ferdinand and Isabella and it was where they originally planned to be buried. It includes an outstanding two-story cloister.
This fortress-like monastery crowns the town of Patmos. It dates from the 11th century and contains 12th-century frescoes.
This small rocky island just off the north coast of France is topped with a magnificent fortified Benedictine abbey, built in the 11th century.
Since its founding by St. Benedict in 529 AD, Montecassino has had a troubled history. The present building was reconstructed after World War II devastation.
This mountainous peninsula in northern Greece is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries, the earliest of which was founded in 963 AD.
Built in 1752, the Old Ursuline Convent in New Orleans is the only remaining French-colonial building in the United States.
This red-domed monastery in the village of Ano Mera is dedicated to the protectress of Mykonos. It has a marble bell tower with intricate folk carvings and a Florence-made iconostasis of 1775.
Pershore Abbey was founded in the 7th century and came under the Benedictine rule around the 10th century. Only about half of the abbey church survives and it is now used as a parish church.
This remote site on the Dingle Peninsula is home to impressive ruins of a 6th-century monastery and an important carved stone.
Founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux in 1132, Rievaulx Abbey now lies in picturesque ruins in a North Yorkshire valley.
An active nunnery in the Meteora with a pleasant courtyard, accessible by a new bridge.
This 15th-century church overlooking a Roman temple has a number of interesting features, including 18th-century tiles and an Arabian cistern. The convent is has been transformed into a hotel.
This attractive and important Romanesque church on the Loire River has been a major place of pilgrimage since 673, when the relics of St. Benedict were brought here from Montecassino.
This church and convent outside the city walls is where the crucifix spoke to St. Francis, prompting him to repair it and begin his ministry. Later, St. Clare lived and died here.
This 12th-century church on the outskirts of town is dedicated to Spoleto's patron saint. It has a fine Romanesque facade and extensive medieval frescoes in the crypt.
Located in a Tuscan valley near Siena, this spectacularly beautiful abbey is a must-see. Gregorian chant can be heard from inside the elegant Romanesque church throughout the day.
This church and active convent was built in the 9th century over the house of St. Cecilia, a 3rd-century martyr. It has a Byzantine apse mosaic upstairs and Roman excavations below.
Founded by Irish missionaries, this Romanesque church is famed for its fascinating sculptured portal.
Founded in 1148, the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is a lovely Cistercian abbey and one of the best places to see Provence's famed lavender fields.
Not easily accessible by road even today, the isolated and peaceful environment of Shap Abbey was perfect for the solitude sought by Premonstratensian monks in the late 12th century.
From 588 to 1100 AD, this dramatic rocky island hosted the tiny beehive huts of hermit monks.
Once the largest and most important church in Scotland, St Andrew's Cathedral (1160-1318) now lies in picturesque ruins overlooking the North Sea. Its museum contains important medieval artifacts.
The ruins of St. Augustine's Abbey on the outskirts of Canterbury include the grave of the saint and a substantial crypt. The visitor center displays Early Christian artifacts found at the site.
This ancient abbey in Cornwall is England's parallel to Mont-St-Michel across the channel in France. Both were founded after visions of the Archangel Michael and only accessible during low tide.
An 11th-century Benedictine monastery used as a merchant's house after the Dissolution. Only the refectory and west range survive, which are currently being renovated for reopening as a Tudor museum.
Boasting a spectacular location in the Pyrenees mountains of southern France, the 11th-century abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou has a wonderful collection of Romanesque carvings.
One of the oldest churches in Paris, the Romanesque St-Pierre-de-Montmartre was consecrated in 1147. Inside are 7th-century capitals and an early ribbed vault.
The traditional site where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, Mount Sinai is home to St. Catherine's Monastery, the oldest Christian monastery still in use.
The Church of St. George (Mari Girgis) in Coptic Cairo is the primary Greek Orthodox church of Egypt. Originally built in the 10th century, it stands atop an old Roman tower and adjoins a monastery.
This fine 12th-century church, part of an active Benedictine abbey, houses the relics of St. Matthias, the apostle who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. It is still visited by many pilgrims.
This ancient monastery marks the burial place of St. Paul of Thebes, a hermit who moved to the desert around 250 AD. The monastery has three churches and many important manuscripts.
The Carmelite order of Catholic monks, now spread throughout the world, was founded here in the 12th century during the Crusades. The present monastery dates from the 19th century and is made of fine marble.
This hilltop monastery in Subiaco enshrines the sacred cave in which St. Benedict lived as a hermit before he organized his first monastic community. Its church is covered in beautiful Gothic frescoes.
Built in the early 1100s, this abbey church boasts the largest Norman tower in Europe. Its interior is a breathtaking combination of stout Norman pillars with Decorated Gothic vaulting and gilded bosses.
The second-oldest Cistercian monastery in Britain, Tintern Abbey stands in picturesque ruins on the southeastern border of Wales.
Famed for its Romanesque sculpture, this 12th-century basilica is the largest Romanesque church in France. It attracted many pilgrims due to its relics of Mary Magdalene.
Valmagne Abbey is a beautiful Cistercian abbey that was transformed into a wine cellar after the French Revolution. Its magnificent Gothic church has been called the "Cathedral of the Vineyards."
This popular Meteora monastery features a pleasant garden and a friendly monk who often chats with visitors there.
Founded by a Saxon princess, this abbey hosted an important council and was powerful throughout the Middle Ages. It now an evocative ruin on a hilltop overlooking the North Sea.
