View allAll Photos Tagged Monastery
9th century monastery, located in South-East of Armenia
Lonely Planet: "Built on a fairy-tale natural fortress of rock on the edge of the Vorotan Canyon, Tatev is jaw-dropping."
LP could not have said it better.
The road to get there is nausiating but magnificent....
Info extracted from website: Now located in North Miami, The Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux was completed in 1141 in Sacramenia, near Segovia in northern Spain.
Bernard of Cairvaux was a Cisterciari monk (later canonized) and one of the most influential church leaders of his time. Cistercian monks occupied the Monastery for nearly 700 years. After a social revolution in the 1830's, the Monastery’s Cloisters were seized, sold, and converted into a granary and stable.
In 1925, William Randolph Hearst purchased the Cloisters and the Monastery's outbuildings. The structures were dismantled stone by stone, bound with protective hay, packed in more than 11,000 wooden crates, numbered for identification and shipped to the United States. Soon after the shipment arrived, Hearst's financial problems forced most of his collection to be sold at auction. The massive crates remained in a warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, for 26 years. One year after Hearst’s' death in 1952, they were purchased by two entrepreneurs for use as a tourist attraction. It took 19 months and the equivalent of nearly $20 million dollars (in today’s currency) to put the Monastery back together. In 1953 Time magazine called it “the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history.”
In 1964, Colonel Robert Pentland, Jr, who was a multimillionaire banker, philanthropist and benefactor of many Episcopal churches, purchased the Cloisters and presented them to the Bishop of Florida. Today the parish Church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux is an active and growing congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. Services are held on Sundays and weekdays in both English and Spanish.
Noravank (Armenian: Նորավանք, meaning "New Monastery" in Armenian) is a 13th century Armenian monastery.
The gorge where the monastery is located is known for its tall, sheer, brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery.
The monastery is best known for its two-storey Surp Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) church, which grants access to the second floor by way of a narrow stone-made staircase jutting out from the face of building.
Noravank was founded in 1205. The monastic complex includes the church of S. Karapet, S. Grigor chapel with a vaulted hall, and the church of S. Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God). Ruins of various civil buildings and khachkars are found both inside and outside of the compound walls.
For more information:
This monastery belongs to the Nyigma order and all other Nyigma order monasteries in Sikkim are subordinate to it. The monks of Pemayangtse are usually from the leading Bhutia families in Sikkim. There are 108 monks in this monastery. Here a prayer meet is in progress. Irresistible for a pic, and I was not going to use flash and disturb them anyway, so I shot this picture, a little blurred due to the low light of the interior and no flash. One of the participants however spotted me (the chap immediately after the central pillar at the far end, and started gesticulating wildly. I put my camera away instantly and moved away from the prayer area, as I considered it rude to disturb people in prayer. (May 2009)
Rizong Monastery (Ladakh).
Ladakh at a height of 9,800 feet surrounded by the Himalayas and Karakoram Range houses incredible monasteries in its folds. On your tour to Ladakh you can spot monks in maroon robes silently plodding their ways to the monasteries. Rizong Monastery is situated at a distance of about 73 kilometers from the Leh town. Founded by the great Lama, Tsultim Nima in the year 1831, the Rizong Monastery belongs to the Gelukpa order. Monasteries, which are the centers of worship for the monks, are also great seats of learning. Where 40 monks reside, Rizong Monastery educates monks who have chosen the path to God as their goal on life. Strict rules are adhered to and monks follow a daily course of life following the Buddhist principles and learning the scriptures and texts. A number of shrines are located within the premises of the Rizdong Monastery and a rich collection of scriptures, texts and biographies of great Lamas like Tsultim Nima are preserved here. Books composed by first Sras Rinpoche are also kept here.
The Skelligs are two jagged rocky islands jutting out of the Atlantic ocean of the west coast of Kerry in the south west of Ireland.
The rocks have drawn men for centuries - you just have to see them from the mainland to want to go there, they look like something that Hollywood dreamt up.
The larger of the two rocks, Skellig Michael hosts an early Christian monastery which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been remarkably preserved since it was abandoned in the 13th Century due to the island's inaccessibility and the simple solidity of the stone buildings.
Haghpat Monastery, also known as Haghpatavank (Armenian: Հաղպատավանք), is a medieval monastery complex in Haghpat, Armenia.
The monastery was founded by Queen Khosrovanuysh, wife of the Bagratid king Ashot III, probably in 976. The nearby monastery at Sanahin was built around the same time.
The location of Haghpat Monastery was chosen so that it overlooks the Debed River in northern Armenia's Lori region. It was built, not on a peak, but halfway up a hillside on a site chosen to afford protection and concealment from prying eyes and also in response to a kind of monastic humility. It is built on a verdant promontory located in the middle of a mountain cirque, which is often wreathed in clouds. A peak on the opposite side of the river is over 2,500 meters high. The monasteries of northern Armenia are not isolated, unlike their counterparts in the country's arid regions. They were built in a village environment and Haghpat is surrounded by many hamlets.
The largest church in the complex, the Cathedral of Surb Nishan, probably begun in 976, was completed in 991 by king Smbat. It is a typical example of tenth century Armenian architecture, its central dome rests on the four imposing pillars of the lateral walls. The outside walls are dotted with triangular recesses. A fresco in the apse depicts Christ Pantocrator. Its donor, the Armenian Prince Khutulukhaga, is depicted in the south transept (a transversal nave intersecting the main nave). The sons of the church's founder, Princes Smbat and Kurike, are shown with Queen Khosravanuysh in a bas-relief on the east gable. Apart from one or two minor restorations carried out in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the church has retained its original character.
There are several other structures at the site as well. There is the small domed Church of Sourb Grigor (St. Gregory ) from 1005. Two side chapels were added to the original church; the larger one built in the beginning of the 13th century and the smaller, known as "Hamazasp House", built in 1257. In 1245, a three-story tall free-standing belltower was constructed. Other 13th century additions include the chapel of Sourb Astvatsatsin, the scriptorium, and a large refectory which is outside the monastery limits.
There are also a number of splendid khachkars (cross-stones) of the 11th-13th centuries standing on the territory of the monastery, the best known among them is the "Amenaprkich" (All-Savior) khachkar which has been standing since 1273.
The monastery has been damaged many times. Sometime around 1130, an earthquake destroyed parts of Haghpat Monastery and it was not restored until fifty years later. It also suffered numerous attacks by armed forces in the many centuries of its existence and from a major earthquake in 1988. Nevertheless, much of the complex is still intact and stands today without substantial alterations.
This year, the pastor let our group of drawing architects have a look around into in the historical attic of Möllenbeck monastery. A great construction. Unfortunately, there was not enough light to draw there.
Maulbronn Monastery was founded in 1147. The church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic, was consecrated in 1178. Most other buildings followed within the 13th century. The complex is believed to be one of the the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex north of the Alpes (some claim "in Europe"). Since 1993 Maulbronn is part of the Unesco World Heritage.
After the consecration, the construction of the abbey continued. Around 1200 the narthex was added and the cloister was started. Some buildings are done in a really remarkable architectural, early gothic style. The person, who built that must have had experiences from Northern France and Burgundy. With all the cistercian connections, it was probably easy to find a medieval "top architect". His name is not known. The name given to him by art historians is "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" (Master of Maulbronn Paradise).
He created not only the narthex ("Paradies"), but as well parts of the cloister and the refectorium. After completing his job in Maulbronn he turned northeast. His typical works can be found as well in Halberstadt and in Magdeburg, but here is, where he started his career in Germany..
This photo was taken inside the cloister. It is visible, where "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" planned and built, as there (near the church) is a very early gothic style. Walking around the cloister, the style of the arches changes to high gothic.
The very complex scaffolding that had grown over the roof of the church creates a shadow on the lawn. Unfortunately the interior of the church was under renovation a s well.
Capriana Monastery - Moldova
Căpriana monastery is a monastery in Căpriana, Moldova, located 40 km north-west of Chişinău.
One of the oldest monasteries of Moldova, Căpriana is located 40 km (25 mi) to the north-west of the country's capital Chișinău in a picturesque forested area once called Codrii Lăpușnei.
The first significant reference dates from a document issued in 1429 that gave Căpriana the status of royal monastery on behalf of Alexander the Good. In this deed the holy abode was referred to as "mănăstirea de la Vâșnovăț unde este egumen Chiprian" (the monastery of Vâșnovăț where the hegumen is Chiprian) and was given in the possession of Alexander's wife - princess Marena.
Tidligere var klosteret både landets kirkelige og administrative centrum. Dengang omfattede Montenegro næppe mere end højsletten omkring Cetinje.
Earlier the monastery was both the ecclesiastical and administrative centre of the country. At that time Montenegro hardly comprised more than the plateau around Cetinje.
Agapia Monastery
The history of this monastery starts with the old settlement - Agapia din Deal (Agapia from the hill) - founded probably, by Petru Rares and his wife Elena, between 1527-1538 or 1541-1546. The high place, hardly accessible, were Agapia din Deal is located, makes that at the beginning of the 17th century all the annexes to be moved on the place that it is today at Agapia din Vale (from the valley). Ruined and again built, burned and remade again, Agapia din Deal become a very charming hermitage. On the place of the church, built at the begining of the 17th century, hetman Gavriil, the brother of Vasile Lupu (Moldavian ruler), and his wife Liliana, raise at Agapia din Vale, in 1642, the Agapia Monastery.
Agapia, attacked and robed many times, was restored radically during 1858-1862. Is a period in which the great painter Nicolae Grigorescu makes here some masterpieces. The painting of the great maestro, that had not suffer much in the fire from 1903, are an important treasure of the monastery.
The monastery has a museum with an important collection of objects having great historical and artistic value. There old icons from XVI-XVII and XVIII centuries or signed by N. Grigorescu, textures and embroideries, crosses, other religious objects etc. There are also old manuscripts, carpets in Moldavian style made in the monastery workshops.
text from www.csvd.ro/panoblog/360-romania/monasteries-of-moldavia/...
Capriana Monastery - Moldova
Evangelist Matthew
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Evangelists
Căpriana monastery is a monastery in Căpriana, Moldova, located 40 km north-west of Chişinău.
One of the oldest monasteries of Moldova, Căpriana is located 40 km (25 mi) to the north-west of the country's capital Chișinău in a picturesque forested area once called Codrii Lăpușnei.
The first significant reference dates from a document issued in 1429 that gave Căpriana the status of royal monastery on behalf of Alexander the Good. In this deed the holy abode was referred to as "mănăstirea de la Vâșnovăț unde este egumen Chiprian" (the monastery of Vâșnovăț where the hegumen is Chiprian) and was given in the possession of Alexander's wife - princess Marena.
This monastery was built in the 17th century, and is home to monks who sell wine and olive oil, presumably to generate money for the church. The olive oil they sell here is pretty famous, so these guys know what they are doing.
This is a monastery in downtown Arequipa, Peru that was closed off to the public until the 70s. A photographer's dream with varying pastel colors and intermittent views of Andean peaks in the distance.
Arankele Monastery’s sylvan environment and ruins of bathing ponds gives the impression it was once a pleasure park. Arankele, on the contrary, was a 6th century cave hermitage up a forested hillside. The densely wooded terrain crowded with huge hardwood trees are interspersed by the openings and clearings created by the on-going process of clearing scattered debris to unearth the ruins and re erecting the fallen ruins.
This small monastery was built by the family Schollaert. It was inherited by the Sisters in 1916 and used to house the less fortunate people of the community.
In 2007 the Sisters left and it never got a new destination.
A rather empty monastery unfortunately. Visited this location in December 2011.
REPKONG - Qinghai Province - Gomari Monastery - China
Holy Trinity-Saint Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery ( is a monastery of nuns (convent) near Sarov (12 km), and near the city of Nizhny Novgorod (185 km), in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia Guide to Diveyevo . It is situated in a region considered to have immense spiritual significance. Within its immediate vicinity are situated two other cloisters: those of Sarov and Sanaxar.