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Transfiguration Monastery / Преображенски манастир - 7km north from Veliko Tarnovo / Велико Търново - Samovodene - България / Bulgaria
The Monastery of the Annunciation, commonly known as the Evangelistria Monastery, is a monastery dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary which sits on a hillside 4 km north of Skiathos Town.
Although some buildings are ruined, the church and accommodation buildings have been restored.
The monastery was founded in 1794 by a group of Kollyvades monks, who had left the monastery of Mount Athos after disagreements about matters of Christian ritual. They were led by an ordained monk, Niphon of Chios, and included Gregorios Hatzistamatis, a local monk who had inherited land on Skiathos from his father.
In 1807, a group of Greek freedom fighters met at the monastery and swore the Oath of Freedom on a newly designed Greek flag, a white cross on a sky blue background, which was woven on a loom at the site.
The Catholicon of the monastery is a Byzantine-style cross-in-square three-aisled church, with three domes, and stands at the centre of the complex. The iconastasis is carved wood and bears icons dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
A museum displays ecclesiastical artefacts and the loom on which the first Greek flag was made.
Today the monastery is served by only four resident monks, three others reside elsewhere.
A regular public minibus service operates from Skiathos Town bus terminus.
Germany 2017 - Maulbronn Monastery (German: Kloster Maulbronn) is a former Roman Catholic Cistercian Abbey and Protestant seminary located at Maulbronn in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.[2] The 850 year old, mostly Romanesque monastery complex, one of the best preserved examples of its kind in Europe,[3] is one of the very first buildings in Germany to use the Gothic style.[4] In 1993, the abbey was declared a UNESCO World Heritage The complex, surrounded by turreted walls and a tower gate, today houses the Maulbronn
Under the auspices of the abbot Bernard of Clairvaux, the Cistercians began major expansion into southern Germany. A knight named Walter von Lomersheim became very enthused in the spread of this order of monks and donated a stretch of land between to the Cistercian order. So it was that, in 1147, the monastery was founded by 12 monks who traveled from Alsace.[2] The main church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic, was consecrated in 1178 by Arnold, Bishop of Speyer. A number of other buildings — infirmary, refectory, cellar, auditorium, porch, south cloister, hall, another refectory, forge, inn, cooperage, mill, and chapel — followed in the course of the 13th century. The west, east and north cloisters date back to the 14th century, as do most fortifications and the fountain house or lavatorium.
After the Reformation began in the year 1517, Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg, seized the monastery in 1504,[dubious – discuss] later building his hunting lodge and stables there. The monastery was pillaged repeatedly: first by the knights under Franz von Sickingen in 1519, then again during the German Peasants' War six years later. In 1534, Duke Ulrich secularised the monastery, but the Cistercians regained control — and Imperial recognition — under Charles V's Augsburg Interim. In 1556, Christoph, Duke of Württemberg, built a Protestant seminary, with Valentin Vannius becoming the first abbot two years later, odd, because the Reformation banned religious orders and abbots; Johannes Kepler studied there 1586–89.
In 1630, the abbey was returned to the Cistercians by force of arms, with Christoph Schaller von Sennheim becoming abbot. This restoration was short-lived, however, as Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden forced the monks to leave again two years later, with a Protestant abbot returning in 1633; the seminary reopened the following year, however the Cistercians under Schaller also returned in 1634. Under the Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, the confession of the monastery was settled in favour of Protestantism; with abbot Buchinger withdrawing in process. A Protestant abbacy was re-established in 1651, with the seminary reopening five years later. In 1692, the seminarians were removed to safety when Ezéchiel du Mas, Comte de Mélac, torched the school, which remained closed for a decade.
The monastery was secularised by Frederick I, King of Württemberg, in the course of the German Mediatisation in 1807, forever removing its political quasi-independence; the seminary merged with that of Bebenhausen the following year, now known as the Evangelical Seminaries of Maulbronn and Blaubeuren.
The monastery, which features prominently in Hermann Hesse's novel Beneath the Wheel, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993. The justification for the inscription was as follows: "The Maulbronn complex is the most complete survival of a Cistercian monastic establishment in Europe, in particular because of the survival of its extensive water-management system of reservoirs and channels". Hesse himself attended the seminary before fleeing in 1891 after a suicide attempt, and a failed attempt to save Hesse from his personal religious crisis by a well-known theologian and faith healer.[6]
To represent Baden-Württemberg, an image of the Abbey appears on the obverse of the German 2013 €2 commemorative coin.
The monastery has a rich religious and cultural past spanning more than two centuries. It was founded in 1773-1775 and became one of the richest, most beautiful, and largest monasteries in Moldova.
Several churches were build on the monastery’s premises: St. Demetrius, a wooden church built in 1775 by Ioan Curchi; Naşterea Domnului, a stone church built in 1810; the winter church of St. Demetrius built in 1844; the summer church Naşterea Domnului built in 1872; and the winter church of St. Nicholas (unfinished), built in 1936-1939.
Monastery's main church, the cathedral Naşterea Domnului (1872), was built in baroque style, inspired by the church of St. Andrew in Kiev, which was designed by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The cathedral has the highest dome in Moldova, rising to a height of 57 meters. (moldovaholiday.travel)
The Reichenbach Monastery ("Kloster Reichenbach") was founded in 1082 as the first priory of Hirsau Abbey. Abbot Wilhelm of Hirsau sent eight monks from Hirsau, to settle the place. The building of the church must have started immediately as already three years later the church, dedicated to Gregory the Great, got consecrated. It is hard to imagine, that the church seen today, was built within only three years, but it may well be, that the Bishop of Konstanz consecrated, while the work was still in progress.
The priory existed upto the Reformation, when the whole area turned Protestant. Today the church is the parochial Lutheran church of Klosterreichenbach.
There are two side chapels flanking choir, both have massive pillars. This is the pillar of the left chapel, squeezing a little bunny. Noah's Ark sails in the background.
The highlight of any visit to Lisbon, this is a stunning place with the cloister being simply superb. Situated in Belém and easily reached by public transport allow a half day to visit to what is a World Heritage Site .
From Sacred Locations.
Founded in 1501, the magnificent Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) in Lisbon is a great monument to the Age of Discovery and a magnificent example of the Manueline style of architecture. The monastery was founded by King Manuel I in celebration of - and funded by - successful Portuguese voyages around the world.
History of Jeronimos Monastery
In 1496, King Manuel I (1495–1521) asked the pope for permission to build a great monastery in thanks to the Virgin Mary for Vasco de Gama's successful voyage to India. The request was granted and construction began on the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos on January 6, 1501. The project was funded by treasures from explorations in Africa, Asia, and South America, as well as a stiff tax on the Portuguese-controlled spice trade with Africa and the East.
The king hired French architect Diogo de Boitaca (1460-1528; master of the pioneering Igreja de Jesus in Setúbal), who was later succeeded by João de Castilho (1475-1552) of Spain, Diogo de Torralva (c.1500-1566), and Jerónimo de Ruão (1530-1601). The site Manuel chose for the new monastery was on the banks of the Tagus river, replacing a small chapel dedicated to St. Mary of Belém by Henry the Navigator.
King Manuel I named his new foundation the Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Belém and invited the Order of St. Jerome (Hieronymites, or dos Jerónimos) to occupy it. The powerful Hieronymites were known for their contemplative spirituality and productive intellectual output; they also shared the king's political views.
The Hieronymites monk were expected to celebrate daily mass for the souls of Prince Henry the Navigator, King Manuel I and his successors in perpetuity, in addition to hearing confessions and providing spiritual counsel to seamen and navigators who sailed from Belém.
As for the monastery, it would be not only a thank-offering to the Virgin Mary but a lasting monument to the Age of Discovery and the mausoleum of King Manuel I and his successors. The project was completed around 1600, by which time Renaissance and Baroque elements were incorporated into the design.
The 1755 earthquake damaged the monastery but thankfully did not destroy it. Many restoration projects have been undertaken since then, some executed better than others. The Hieronymites occupied the monastery for 400 years until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1833, when the building became state property. It was used as a college for the Casa Pia of Lisbon (a children's charity) until around 1940.
What to See at Jeronimos Monastery
Jerónimos Monastery is an prime example of Manueline architecture, a style unique to Portugal that combines Flamboyant Gothic, Moorish, and early Renaissance influences. It is characterized by an elaborate use of sculptural detail and often includes maritime motifs. Other notable Manueline structures in Portugal include Batalha Monastery and the Templar Convento de Cristo in Tomar.
The main entrance to the monastic church is the south portal, designed by João de Castilho. Occupying the central pillar is a statue of Henry the Navigator. Inside, fragile-looking pillars covered with sculpture support a complex web of lierne vaulting over three aisles. Much of the artwork depicts scenes of St. Jerome, translator of the Vulgate and patron of the Hieronymite order.
The west door leads into the cloisters, where the stonework is even more impressive than the church. Designed by João de Castilho, the cloisters have two levels, the lower one having a groin vault and the most exuberant decoration. Virtually every surface of the arches and pillars are covered in elaborate Manueline sculpture.
Jerónimos Monastery contains the tombs of King Manuel and other Portuguese royalty, as well as many important figures from Portuguese history. Most famous among the latter is Vasco de Gama, whose accomplishments at sea inspired the monastery. Other notables include the romantic poet Herculano (1800-54) and the poet Fernando Pessoa.
Part of the monastic complex is the freestanding Chapel of St. Jerome, built in 1514. It is a small rectangular building with conical pinnacles at the four corners and stone "rope" along the roofline. Gargoyles look out from the corners. From the west doorway, there is a fine view all the way out to sea.
Rila Monastery-frescoe on outside of Main Church, Bulgaria. Frescoes lining the outside walls of the Main Church were painted by Bansko, Samokov and Razlog,& Zahari Zograf and Dimitar Zograf. Copyright © by Scott A. McNealy Photographer. www.noboundaryphotography.co.uk
Ano Mera, Mykonos, Greece.
The monastery of Panagia Tourliani dates from 1542 and takes its present name after an icon of the Virgin Mary found in the nearby area of Tourlos. Since then, Panagia Tourliani became the patroness of the island.
The architecture of the monastery features a whitewashed exterior and a red colored dome. The interior of the church has an impressive wooden altar screen made in 1775 by Florentine artists. There are icons of apostles and saints on the screen as well as scenes from the New Testament and is decorated with green, red and golden flowers. The hanging incense holders are decorated with silver dragons having red eggs in their mouth, which show the Eastern influence.
A Benedictines Monastery founded in 1031 by Prince Bretislav I. and St. Prokop (Procopios) from Slavnikiden ancestry, a cousin of St. Vojtech (St. Adalbert), a Benedictines monk, later eremite in the forest cave over the Sazava river.
The fourth oldest monastery in Bohemia (973 Monastery of St. George in Prague Castle, 993 Benedictines Monastery in Prague-Brevnov, 999 Benedictines Monastery in Ostrov [Insula, Isle] in Davle). Sazava Monastery was a centre of Slovanian rite, widespreading to South and Eastern Europe - Serbia, Croatia, Kievan Rus and Hungary. Plenty of Slovanian liturgy manuspripts written in Glagolic and Cyrillic alphabet (e.g. Rheins Gospel-book) had their origin in this monastery. Original buildings of Romanesque basilica and abbey were later rebuilded in the Gothic style. They had been severe damaged during the Husitte´s Wars and later rebuilded in Barroco style. Building of the basilica´s main nave from red sandstone had been unfinished, without roof, just with the walls with gothic window arches, pillars and tower. Only the apse was completed and has been serving as the catholic parish church with a Romanesgue crypt in surroundings. Abbey was broke off and served as the aristocratic mansion.
Aug. 9, 2010.
Pocajivskaja Monastery. Second largest Orthodox Monastery in the Ukraine, (Moscow Patriarchy). Dormition Cathedral, (1771-1783).
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.
Labrang Monastery (Tibetan: བླ་བྲང་བཀྲ་ཤིས་འཁྱིལ་, Wylie: bla-brang bkra-shis-'khyil) is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Its formal name is Genden Shédrup Dargyé Trashi Gyésu khyilwé Ling (Tibetan: དགེ་ལྡན་བཤད་སྒྲུབ་དར་རྒྱས་བཀྲ་ཤིས་གྱས་སུ་འཁྱིལ་བའི་གླིང༌།, Wylie: dge ldan bshad sgrub dar rgyas bkra shis gyas su 'khyil ba'i gling).
Labrang is located in Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu, in the traditional Tibetan area of Amdo. Labrang Monastery is home to the largest number of monks outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. Xiahe is about four hours by car from the provincial capital Lanzhou.
In the early part of the 20th century, Labrang was by far the largest and most influential monastery in Amdo. It is located on the Daxia River, a tributary of the Yellow River.
The monastery was founded in 1709 by the first Jamyang Zhépa, Ngawang Tsöndrü.It is Tibetan Buddhism's most important monastery town outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Labrang Monastery is situated at the strategic intersection of two major Asian cultures—Tibetan and Mongolian — and was one of the largest Buddhist monastic universities. In the early 20th century, it housed several thousand monks. Labrang was also a gathering point for numerous annual religious festivals and was the seat of a Tibetan power base that strove to maintain regional autonomy through the shifting alliances and bloody conflicts that took place between 1700 and 1950.[5]
In April 1985 the Assembly Hall burned down. It was replaced and the new building was consecrated in 1990
The monastery complex dominates the western part of the village. The white walls and gilded roofs feature a blend of Tibetan and Indian Vihara architectural styles. The monastery contains 18 halls, six institutes of learning, a gilded stupa, a sutra debate area, and houses nearly 60,000 sutras.
At its height the monastery housed 4,000 monks. Like so many religious institutions, it suffered during the Cultural Revolution; and the monks were sent to their villages to work. After it was reopened in 1980, many of the monks returned; but the government restricted enrolment to around 1,500.[7]
It has a Buddhist museum with a large collection of Buddha statues, sutras and murals. In addition, a large amount of Tibetan language books, including books on history is available for purchase, together with medicines, calendars, music and art objects.
There used to be a great gold-painted statue of the Buddha, more than 50 feet high, which was surrounded by rows of surrounding Buddhas in niches.[8]
The monastery today is an important place for Buddhist ceremonies and activities. From January 4 to 17 and June 26, to July 15, (these dates may change according to the lunar calendar), the great Buddhist ceremony will be held with Buddha-unfolding, sutra enchanting, praying, sutra debates, etc.
Designed by Edward Welby Pugin between 1863 and 1867 Gorton Monastery it was vacated by the monks in 1989 and left to ruin. Fortunately it has since been restored and now is a social hub for the area as well as unique banqueting and event location
The Reichenbach Monastery ("Kloster Reichenbach") was founded in 1082 as the first priory of Hirsau Abbey. Abbot Wilhelm of Hirsau sent eight monks from Hirsau, to settle the place. The building of the church must have started immediately as already three years later the church, dedicated to Gregory the Great, got consecrated. It is hard to imagine, that the church seen today, was built within only three years, but it may well be, that the Bishop of Konstanz consecrated, while the work was still in progress.
The priory existed upto the Reformation, when the whole area turned Protestant. Today the church is the parochial Lutheran church of Klosterreichenbach.
The sober nave (seen from the organ loft) has often been compared with St. Aureius in Hirsau, as Monks from Hirsau built this. It was completed in 1178, nearly a hundred years after the consecration of the church.
This is a high-key shot of Meteora, Greece taken on January 14, 2025 (the day after the first snowfall of the year). One sees the monastery of St. Nicholas ‘Anapafsas’ on whose first floor there is a church dating from th 14th century; the monastery's main church (aka ‘katholikon’) was built in early 16th c. and is famous for its exquisite frescoes painted in 1527 by Theophanēs the Cretan. The rock formation is 1,375 ft (419 m) high.
Can you spot Roussanou monastery (aka St. Barbara's), closer and to the right of St. Nicholas's?
This beautiful monastery was built in the 17th century. In 1880 is was used as an children’s asylum and was only used to treat girls. Around 1920 St. Anna was used to treat mentally ill people and currently it is abandoned and left with only memories…
There are a lot of stories going around that children have been abused in there. A lot of things happened behind these walls…
These pictures were taken in 2010.
Please visit www.preciousdecay.com for more pictures
Monastery Kać, a new women's Orthodox monastery, dedicated to Resurrection of Christ is located 10 km east of Novi Sad, in the village of Kać - Serbia
Tabo Monastery, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Listed in the UNESCO's world heritage, this monastery is a fine example of Indo-Tibetan architecture. The buildings remind some of New Mexican architecture, or to that of the mosques in some Western African countries. My favorite part of this monastery though was the impressive paintings inside each temple, which are the most elaborate I've seen. The main temple, known as the Picture treasure boasts beautiful paintings and statues as well as a very nice statue of the monastery's protector, at the back, that you reach by a dark path behind the main altar. Again, it felt like being in an Indiana Jones movie...
Cernica Monastery is located near the town of Pantelimon, in Ilfov County.
It was founded in 1608 by the nobleman Cernica Știrbei.
The monastery sits on the shore of Lake Cernica, offering a picturesque landscape and a serene atmosphere for prayer and reflection.
Cernica Monastery, established in 1608 during the reign of Radu Șerban, was founded by Cernica Știrbei, the great vornic of Michael the Brave, and his wife, Chiajna.
This monastic complex has been a significant center of monastic education.
Within the monastery grounds, three churches and three chapels have been constructed.
The main church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, suffered damage during the 1802 earthquake and was repaired between 1809 and 1815 by Archimandrite Timotei.
A major restoration was undertaken in 1925 following another earthquake in 1838 that caused the collapse of a turret, and a fire in 1923.[2]
The church dedicated to Saint George was originally built in the 18th century by Dan Brașoveanu.
It was completely rebuilt between 1962 and 1964, and further consolidated after the damages from the large Vrancea earthquake of March 1977.
In 1804, Archimandrite George constructed the small, beautiful Church of Saint Lazarus within the monastery's cemetery.
The three chapels of the monastery are "The Dormition of the Mother of God," built in 1790, "Saint John," constructed in 1842, and "The Entrance into the Church."
Between 1900 and 1904, the poet Tudor Arghezi was a monk at Cernica Monastery.
The cemetery of Cernica Monastery is the final resting place of many Romanian personalities, including painter Ion Țuculescu, Metropolitan Nifon, theologian Saint Dumitru Stăniloae, writer Gala Galaction, orientalist Athanase Negoiță, sociologist Ernest Bernea, pianist Johnny Răducanu, singer Zavaidoc, actress Stela Popescu, director Geo Saizescu, translator Stelian Gruia, academician Emilian Popescu, broadcaster Marioara Murărescu, and politician Pan Halippa.
The church is built in Neoclassical with Romanian decorative elements.
The architecture of the monastery features monumental churches with trilobed plans, lateral apses, and prominent domes.
Structures like the Church of Saint Nicholas and the Church of Saint George are built with strong masonry columns that support the vaults of the nave and narthex, highlighting a traditional ecclesiastical architectural style.
The Church of Saint Lazarus, located in the monastery's cemetery, is notable for its rich external decorations.
It exemplifies the traditional monastic architectural style that combines functionality with spiritual aesthetics, characteristic of Orthodox Christian architecture.