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The monastery is one of the most prominent examples of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon. It was classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the nearby Tower of Belém, in 1983.
The Monastery of San Lorenzo de Carboeiro is an abandoned building in the middle of the galician mountains. Since the XIX century is not longer funcionating and now is a small secret that not many people know.
To get there I have to walk for more than two hours in the middle of the forest to find out that the church was closed on monday. Things like this happens. But the view was amazing.
Première photo d'une série que je ne manquerai pas de vous faire partager dès que j'aurai le temps de traiter toutes les photos...
Apart from the six monasteries which can be visited today, there are a number of uninhabited monasteries in the Meteora area.
The photo above shows the entrance to one of them.
In order to reach it, the visitor must pass through three caves linked by wooden ladders.
The Church or Monastery of São Vicente de Fora is a 17th-century church and monastery in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It is one of the most important monasteries and mannerist buildings in the country. The monastery also contains the royal pantheon of the Braganza monarchs of Portugal.
The monastery Agia Lavra (Saint Laura) near Kalavryta is an important location in the history of Greece's independence movement (officially this is where the revolution began) - nearby on a hill is the imposing monument to the heroes of 1821.
The Sumela monastery is, with its art, history and especially spectacular location, among the most popular destinations in the Turkish Black Sea Region. It is located at an altitude of 1200 meter above sea level. Having been found somewhere during Byzantine times, legend says that it was founded by two Athenian monks in the 4th century after a vision from the Virgin Mary led them to a rock cave there where they found an icon drawn by St. Luke, the apostle. Although known to have already have been restored during the Justinian period in the 6th century, its present form arose during the time of the Empire of Trebizond in the 14th century and the additions during the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. A rock chapel has been built around the opening of a small cave, covering the interior and exterior with Byzantine style frescoes which mostly date to the 18th century, with some remains of the 14th century. Here you can see stories of the life of Jesus.
June 23, 2020
Camera: Canon Prima Zoom 80u Date (AiAF) [zoom 38-80mm] (№8405914)
Film: Svema KN-5D (release date: Jan 1991), cinema film negative B/W
dev and scan luch.lab
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Fragment of high relief "Meeting of David who defeated Goliath"
Sculptor: Alexander Vasilievich Loganovsky.
These are real high reliefs from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior by A.V. Loganovsky (1847-1849) Preserved and rescued in the Donskoy Monastery during the years of Soviet power.
Mega Spileo monastery
"One of the most important and wonderful places of Greek Orthodoxy in Peloponnese is the Holy Monastery of Mega Spileo (Grand Cave) which is located under the shadow of great rock at 940 m height. The Monastery was established in 4th century by two monks. During its history it was destroyed five times by fires, Turks and in the last one in 1943 by German invaders. The name of the Monastery derivates from rocky complex of Chelmos mountain on which it is built above. Today, the renovated 8 floors built in rock monastery is rising on the mountains amazing the visitors."
Source: www.https//:megaspileo.gr/en
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. If you wish to use this image, please, contact me through flickrmail or at vicenc.feliu@gmail.com. © All rights reserved...
Mount St. Sepulchre, a Franciscan monastery and Commissariat of the Holy Land in America, located in Washington, D.C. The Church and Monastery of Mount St. Sepulchre, designated a National Historic Site in 1991, have been a place of worship and pilgrimage for thousands of visitors since the church's dedication in 1899. The well-known Italian architect, Aristide Leonori (1856-1928), who would later design the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis, designed and supervised the construction of the church and monastery. Leonori visited the Holy Land and took accurate measurements and photographs of the holy sites that were to be reproduced at the monastery. A huge wooden cross was erected on the hilltop, which is today the site of the Friars’ Cemetery (directly behind the monastery). In February 1898, ground was broken for a new building, and the cornerstone was laid on the Feast of St. Joseph.
Strahov Monastery (Czech: Strahovský klášter) is a Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1143 by Jindřich Zdík, Bishop John of Prague, and Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia. It is located in Strahov, Prague, Czech Republic.
After his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1138, the bishop of Olomouc, Jindřich Zdík, took hold of the idea of founding a monastery of regular canons in Prague. He had the support of the bishops of Prague and Soběslav I, Duke of Bohemia and -- after his death -- Vladislav II. After Zdík's first unsuccessful attempt to found a Czech variant of the canons' order at the place called Strahov in 1140, an invitation was issued to the Premonstratensians, whose first representatives arrived from Steinfeld in the Rhine valley (now Germany).
The religious began to build their monastery first of wood, with a Romanesque basilica as the center of all spiritual events in Strahov. The building was gradually completed and the construction of the monastery stone buildings continued, in order to replace the provisional wooden living quarters with permanent stone. In 1258, the monastery was heavily damaged by fire and later renewed.
Source: Wikipedia
El monasterio de San Pedro de Cardeña es una abadía trapense situada en el término municipal de Castrillo del Val, a 10 km del centro de Burgos (España). Actualmente, está considerado como BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural). Fue declarado Monumento histórico-artístico perteneciente al Tesoro Artístico Nacional mediante decreto de 3 de junio de 1931. En 2015, en la aprobación por la Unesco de la ampliación del Camino de Santiago en España a «Caminos de Santiago de Compostela: Camino francés y Caminos del Norte de España», España envió como documentación un «Inventario Retrospectivo - Elementos Asociados» (Retrospective Inventory - Associated Components) en el que en el n.º 979 figura el monasterio de San Pedro de Cardeña.
El monasterio se habrá fundado antes de 902 cuando el conde de Lantarón y de Cerezo, Gonzalo Téllez y su esposa Flámula realizaron la primera donación documentada al cenobio el 24 de septiembre de ese año de una serna en Pedernales y unas eras de sal.
En los siglos IX o X sus monjes fueron martirizados por los musulmanes, canonizados en 1603 y conocidos como los «Mártires de Cardeña». El monasterio gozaba de gran popularidad con gran afluencia de devotos, entre los que se encontraban el rey Felipe III de España y su esposa la reina Doña Margarita de Austria. Una de sus preciadas reliquias, la cabeza de su abad San Esteban, fue trasladada al Monasterio de Celanova; también se encuentran dos urnas en el Monasterio de la Huelgas y otra en la Catedral de Burgos.
Cada año, el 6 de agosto, aniversario del martirio, la tierra del claustro donde fueron sepultados los mártires, se teñía de un color rojizo que parecía sangre. El milagroso prodigio, ampliamente testificado, se repite hasta finales del siglo XIV. El año 1674 ya una vez levantado el nuevo claustro de estilo herreriano se reprodujo el hecho, personándose el arzobispo Enrique de Peralta, que vivamente impresionado encargó un estudio, interviniendo médicos y teólogos. Recogió el líquido, coaguló al ser puesto en agua hirviendo.
El 1 de febrero de 1967 un violento incendio destruyó las tres cuartas partes del monasterio, habitado desde 1942 por la abadía trapense de Nuestra Señora de los Mártires.
La prosperidad del monasterio en la época altomedieval se refleja en la calidad de su scriptorium, en el que el monje Endura realizó obras extraordinarias.
El Beato de San Pedro de Cardeña fue realizado entre los años 1175 y 1180, cuenta con 290 páginas y 51 miniaturas. 127 folios se encuentran en el Museo Arqueológico Nacional de Madrid, dos en la Biblioteca Francisco de Zabálburu, también en Madrid (donde también se halla el Cartulario de San Pedro de Cardeña), uno en el Museo Diocesano de Gerona y otros quince en el Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York.
Desde la sala capitular, que data del siglo XIII, se divisa a través de grandes cristaleras el claustro románico, que data del siglo XII. Compuesto por arquería de medio punto sobre columnas únicas que descansan sobre fustes robustos y coronadas de capiteles que imitan el estilo corintio. Los arcos recuerdan en su decoración a los de la mezquita de Córdoba por su policromía, alternando los colores blanco y rojo. En la pared izquierda se encuentran unas antiquísimas piedras cuya inscripción recuerda el trágico suceso.
Para construir esta iglesia de tres naves se destruyó la románica, aunque afortunadamente se salvó la torre, legítimo recuerdo cidiano. Reedificada en el siglo XVI, consta de tres naves, con una capilla aneja, denominada capilla de El Cid, ya que allí fue enterrado, y permaneció antes de su traslado a la catedral de Burgos. La fachada de la iglesia es de estilo barroco.
En el lateral derecho de la iglesia gótica, se abre una capilla barroca que data de 1753 a la que fueron trasladados los restos del Cid Campeador y su esposa Jimena. En las paredes de esta estancia llamada «Capilla de los Héroes», hay 29 nichos con inscripciones de nombres de reyes y familiares del Cid.
Según el Cantar de mio Cid y las tradiciones posteriores, antes de marchar al destierro, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar dejó en San Pedro de Cardeña, al amparo del abad Sancho (que la crítica ha identificado con Sisebuto de Cardeña atribuyendo una confusión al autor del Cantar), a su esposa Doña Jimena y a sus hijas, aunque este hecho no está atestiguado por pruebas históricas. En el primer destierro de 1081, las propiedades de Rodrigo Díaz no le fueron enajenadas, y la familia del Cid pudo seguir residiendo en sus casas. En el segundo, de 1089, la familia fue presa por mandato de Alfonso VI en un castillo, quizá Gormaz, para reunirse con el Campeador poco después.
El enterramiento del Cid en San Pedro de Cardeña no fue debido a la voluntad personal de Rodrigo Díaz. A su muerte en 1099 fue inhumado en la catedral de Valencia, por lo que solo en 1102, tras tener que abandonar Jimena Díaz la plaza levantina, fueron trasladados sus restos al cenobio cardeniense. Allí permaneció durante algunos años su cuerpo embalsamado y sentado en un escaño del presbiterio. Desde ese momento se generaron allí una serie de narraciones de carácter hagiográfico que hacia 1280 constituyeron un corpus conocido como Leyenda de Cardeña cuyo propósito fue vincular al Cid con el monasterio de Cardeña, con el que en vida había tenido escasa relación. Estos materiales legendarios se incorporaron a la Versión sanchina de la Estoria de España o Crónica de veinte reyes, que puede datarse entre 1282 y 1284. En el siglo XIV el monasterio caradignense estimuló el culto a las reliquias cidianas, en cuyo contexto se redactó el Epitafio épico del Cid y, posiblemente, se encargara o elaborara, a partir de un ejemplar tomado en préstamo, el códice con la copia de 1325–1330 en el que se conserva el Cantar de mio Cid. En el claustro nuevo una lápida recuerda el lugar que ocupaba su sepulcro.
En la explanada situada frente a la fachada principal, en la que aparece una imagen ecuestre del Cid Campeador, hay una estatua del Sagrado Corazón, y a la izquierda un monolito con leyenda alusiva al caballo Babieca. Coincide con el lugar donde una creencia tradicional considera que fue sepultado el animal.
En el monasterio se conserva la bodega románica más antigua de España en uso comercial, donde se elabora el tinto Valdevegón con uva de La Rioja. Y también un licor llamado Tizona del Cid, hecho con unas 30 hierbas que maceran en barricas de roble. En 2016 se convierte en el primer monasterio español en producir cerveza trapense, la cerveza Cardeña.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monasterio_de_San_Pedro_de_Cardeña
monasteriosanpedrodecardena.blogspot.com
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyenda_de_Cardeña
en.caminodelcid.org/places/monastery-of-san-pedro-de-card...
Cerveza Cardeña - Monasterio de San Pedro de Cardeña (valdevegon.com)
The monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña is a Trappist abbey located in the municipality of Castrillo del Val, 10 km from the center of Burgos (Spain). Currently, it is considered as BIC (Asset of Cultural Interest). It was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument belonging to the National Artistic Treasure by decree of June 3, 1931. In 2015, in the approval by Unesco of the extension of the Camino de Santiago in Spain to «Roads of Santiago de Compostela: French Way and Roads Northern Spain ", Spain sent as documentation a" Retrospective Inventory - Associated Components "in which the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña is listed in No. 979.
The monastery will have been founded before 902 when the count of Lantarón and Cerezo, Gonzalo Téllez and his wife, Flámula, made the first documented donation to the monastery on September 24 of that year of a serna in Pedernales and some salt eras.
In the 9th or 10th centuries its monks were martyred by the Muslims, canonized in 1603 and known as the "Martyrs of Cardeña." The monastery enjoyed great popularity with a large influx of devotees, among whom were King Felipe III of Spain and his wife, Queen Doña Margarita of Austria. One of his precious relics, the head of his abbot San Esteban, was transferred to the Monastery of Celanova; There are also two urns in the Monastery of La Huelgas and another in the Cathedral of Burgos.
Every year, on August 6, the anniversary of the martyrdom, the ground of the cloister where the martyrs were buried was stained a reddish color that looked like blood. The miraculous prodigy, widely witnessed, is repeated until the end of the fourteenth century. In 1674, once the new Herrerian-style cloister was erected, the event was reproduced, with the appearance of Archbishop Enrique de Peralta, who, greatly impressed, commissioned a study, involving doctors and theologians. He collected the liquid, it coagulated when put in boiling water.
On February 1, 1967, a violent fire destroyed three-quarters of the monastery, inhabited since 1942 by the Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of the Martyrs.
The prosperity of the monastery in the high medieval era is reflected in the quality of its scriptorium, in which the monk Endura carried out extraordinary works.
The Beatus of San Pedro de Cardeña was made between the years 1175 and 1180, it has 290 pages and 51 miniatures. 127 pages are in the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid, two in the Francisco de Zabálburu Library, also in Madrid (where the Cartulary of San Pedro de Cardeña is also found), one in the Diocesan Museum of Gerona and another fifteen in the Museum Metropolitan of Art of New York.
From the chapter house, which dates from the 13th century, you can see through large windows the Romanesque cloister, which dates from the 12th century. Composed of semicircular arches on unique columns that rest on robust shafts and crowned with capitals that imitate the Corinthian style. The arches in their decoration are reminiscent of those of the Cordoba mosque due to their polychrome, alternating white and red colors. On the left wall are some ancient stones whose inscription recalls the tragic event.
To build this church with three naves, the Romanesque was destroyed, although fortunately the tower, a legitimate Cidian memory, was saved. Rebuilt in the 16th century, it consists of three naves, with an attached chapel, called the El Cid Chapel, since he was buried there, and remained before his transfer to the Burgos Cathedral. The facade of the church is in the Baroque style.
On the right side of the Gothic church, there is a baroque chapel dating from 1753 to which the remains of the Cid Campeador and his wife Jimena were transferred. On the walls of this room called "Capilla de los Héroes", there are 29 niches with inscriptions of the names of kings and relatives of the Cid.
According to the Cantar de mio Cid and later traditions, before going into exile, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar left in San Pedro de Cardeña, under the protection of Abbot Sancho (who the critic has identified with Sisebuto de Cardeña attributing a confusion to the author of the Cantar ), his wife Doña Jimena and their daughters, although this fact is not attested by historical evidence. In the first exile in 1081, Rodrigo Díaz's properties were not alienated from him, and the Cid family was able to continue residing in his houses. In the second, in 1089, the family was imprisoned by order of Alfonso VI in a castle, perhaps Gormaz, to meet with the Campeador shortly after.
The burial of the Cid in San Pedro de Cardeña was not due to the personal will of Rodrigo Díaz. Upon his death in 1099 he was buried in the cathedral of Valencia, so that only in 1102, after Jimena Díaz had to leave the Levantine square, were his remains transferred to the Cardenian monastery. His body remained there for some years, embalmed and seated on a bench in the presbytery. From that moment on, a series of hagiographic narratives were generated there, which around 1280 constituted a corpus known as the Leyenda de Cardeña whose purpose was to link the Cid with the Cardeña monastery, with which in life he had had little relationship. These legendary materials were incorporated into the Sanchina Version of the Estoria de España or Chronicle of Twenty Kings, which can be dated between 1282 and 1284. In the 14th century, the Caradignense monastery stimulated the cult of Cidian relics, in which context the Epitaph was written. epic of the Cid and, possibly, the codex with the copy of 1325–1330 in which the Cantar de mio Cid is preserved, was commissioned or elaborated from a borrowed copy. In the new cloister a tombstone recalls the place occupied by his tomb.
On the esplanade in front of the main façade, in which an equestrian image of the Cid Campeador appears, there is a statue of the Sacred Heart, and on the left a monolith with a legend alluding to the Babieca horse. It coincides with the place where a traditional belief considers that the animal was buried.
The monastery houses the oldest Romanesque winery in Spain in commercial use, where the red Valdevegón is made with grapes from La Rioja. And also a liqueur called Tizona del Cid, made with about 30 herbs that are macerated in oak barrels. In 2016 it became the first Spanish monastery to produce Trappist beer, Cardeña beer.
Moldova - Capriana monastery.
Capriana monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Basarabia. It is situated only 35 km north - west of Chisinau, at the Isnovat locality, on the bunch of the river with the same name (Isnavat).
For the first time it was mentioned in charters of Alexander the Kind in the 30's of the 15 th century. The first official document which contains data about Capriana Monastery is the Alexander the Kind royal charters dating from April 25, 1420 where the following was mentioned: “for our really devoted servant and nobleman Mr. Oana Vornic we offer our country which is Moldova the villages: Cornestii and Miclausestii, and Lozova, and Sacarenii, and Vornicenii, and Dumestii, and Tiganestii, and Lavrestii, and Sadova, and Homestii. And the boundaries of these villages which represent Barcovat beginning with the territory of Varnet monastery, the Acibco apiary, the top of Lozova, the Carlanici bridge, the Fontana Mica and Fontana Mare and namely with the Tarnaucai glade, from the Chiprian’s glade with the Bac mill, from the large river meadow towards Poroseci”.
The royal legacy charter dating from February 10, 1429 is the second document which tells about Capriana Monastery from the times of Alexander the King reign:
"I am Alexander Voievod - the ruler of Moldova and I mention in this charter the fact that we gave Vasnevat monastery where Chiprian is the Superior, to our wife - princess Merena.
Initially, the monastery was named after Vasnavet, which is a river flowing near the monastery; later it was renamed into Capriana, thus honoring the name Chiprian who was the first Superior of the monastery.
In the Grigore Ureche (the chronicler) papers the following is mentioned: Petru Rares – the ruler of Moldova (1527 – 1538), (1541-1546) would have built the first stone church in locality Capriana with the Holy Virgin Dormition titulr saint. Grirore Ureche offered to the monastery a Gospel written in Slavonic language on parchment, banded with wooden covers and blown with silver. At the first page the following text was written: “Devoted and loving God Ioan Petru Voievod, with the God forgiveness becoming the ruler of the whole Moldovan land and his wife Elena, and his sons – Ilias Voievod, Shtefan and Constantin
embellished this Gispel and in October 7053 (1545) gave it to the newly built Holy Virgin Dormition Monastery which is Capriana”.
Because of economical decline and cultural stagnation, the Capriana Monastery experimented a difficult period in the XVIIth century.
Only after 1813, thanks to metropolitan bishop Gavriil Banu1escu-Bodoni, a revigoration of monastic life was registered.
With the insistence of bishops, the Capriana Monastery was given to the Zograful Monastery in 1837, the archbishop receiving the Harjauca monastery. The monastery was under the leadership of Zograful monastery till March 9, 1873. On June 29, 1940, a day after the conquest of Basarabia by Soviet troops, the whole estate of the monastery was confiscated. The last abbot of the monastery was the Superior Eugeniu (1952—1962) and the last church oration was solemnized on October 25, 1962. a day after the activity which lasted more than a half of the millennium, the monastery was closed, hieromonks tooking refuge in other parishes, monks and brothers being driven banished.
The Soviet State declared the Capriana Monastery an architectural monument governmentally protected, but at the same times the monastery begun to be foraged and crashed.
After 1962, the monastery was transformed into a sanatorium for sick children. The monastery refectory was transformed into a club where dancing parties, good cheers and weddings were organized.
With the Republic of Moldova Council of Ministers decision, the Capriana Monastery became again a place for orations; the first abbot of the monastery was archimandrite Iosif Gargalac, who was an ex- abbot at the Soruceni Monastery. With the retreating of the abbot Iosif, the monastery was conducted by hieromonk Serafim, who continued the reconstruction of the monastery.
In 1994 – 1997 the refectory of the monastery was reconstructed and transformed into church for winter orations.
Bulgaria.
Bachkovo Monastery, a spot in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains, is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria.
The Holy Monastery of the Virgin of Kykkos was founded at the end of the 11th century by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081–1118). The monastery lies at an altitude of 1,318 m on the north west face of the Troodos Mountains.
According to legend the hermit monk Isaiah was disturbed in his solitude by the governor of Cyprus, who had strayed from the path while hunting. The monk was maltreated when he refused to show him the way. Upon his return home, the governor, who had fallen ill, begged the monk's forgiveness. The monk healed him at the behest of the Virgin Mary, who appeared to him in a dream, and in return received a miracolous Marian icon, belonging to the Emperor of Constantinople. Over the centuries, the monastery was repeatedly destroyed by fires and earthquakes, so the current complex dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.
For centuries, the locals venerated the icon of the Virgin Mary, that according to Orthodox tradition was painted on a wooden panel by the Evangelist Luke during the Virgin's lifetime. Many miracles are attributed to it and it served as a model for countlessr Madonna images in the Eastern Church. It is covered with silver and gold and set in a precious frame. The always veiled image of Mary cannot be viewed nowadays.
The monastery corridors are decorated with frescoes and mosaics created in the 1990s.
The Nativity
The Annunciation to the shepherds
The Magi
and in the centre
Jesus´ First Bath
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Jesus´ First Bath
www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1286406
Jesus´ First Bath
Sucevița Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox convent situated in the Northeastern part of Romania. It is situated near the Suceviţa River, in the village Sucevița, 18 km away from the city of Rădăuţi, Suceava County. It is located in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina (northwestern Moldavia). It was built in 1585 by Ieremia Movilă, Gheorghe Movilă and Simion Movilă.[1]
The architecture of the church contains both Byzantine and Gothic elements, and some elements typical to other painted churches of northern Moldavia. Both interior and exterior walls are covered by mural paintings, which are of great artistic value and depict biblical episodes from the Old and New Testament. The paintings date from around 1601, which makes Sucevița one of the last monasteries to be decorated in the famous Moldavian style of exterior paintings.
The interior court of the monastic ensemble is almost square (100 by 104 meters) and is surrounded by high (6 m), wide (3 m) walls. There are several other defensive structures within the ensemble, including four towers (one in each corner). Sucevița was a princely residence as well as a fortified monastery. The thick walls today shelter a museum that presents an outstanding collection of historical and art objects. The tomb covers of Ieremia and Simion Movilă – rich portraits embroidered in silver thread – together with ecclesiastical silverware, books and illuminated manuscripts, offer eloquent testimony to Sucevița's importance first as a manuscript workshop, then as a printing center.
In 2010, the monastery has been inscribed by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage Sites, as one of the Painted churches of Moldavia.
Alcobaca, Portugal, a town of just 15,000 population.
The Alcobaça Monastery is a Catholic monastic complex located in the town of Alcobaça in central Portugal. The monastery was established in 1153 by the first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, and would develop a close association with the Portuguese monarchy throughout its seven-century-long history.
The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal and was one of the most important medieval monasteries in Portugal.
In the transept of the church are located the tombs of King Pedro I and his mistress, Inês de Castro, who was assassinated in 1355 on orders of Pedro's father, King Afonso IV. After becoming king, Pedro ordered the remains of his beloved to be transferred to her tomb in Alcobaça and, according to a popular legend, had her crowned as queen of Portugal and ordered court members to pay her homage by kissing her decomposing hand.
The two royal tombs are among the best works of Gothic sculpture in Portugal. The tombs are supported by lions, in the case of the king, and half-men half-beasts, in the case of Ines, and both carry the recumbent figures of the deceased assisted by a group of angels. The sides of Pedro's tomb are magnificently decorated with reliefs showing scenes from Saint Bartholomew's life, as well as scenes from Pedro and Ines' life. Her tomb is decorated with scenes from the life of Christ, including the Crucifixion, and with the Last Judgement.
The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, also known as Rila Monastery ("Sveti Ivan Rilski" (Bulgarian: Рилски манастир „Свети Иван Рилски“), is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km (73 mi) south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River ("Rila River") at an elevation of 1,147 m (3,763 ft) above sea level, inside of Rila Monastery Nature Park. The monastery is named after its founder, the hermit Saint Ivan of Rila (876 – 946 AD), and houses approximately 60 monks. The monastery is a popular pilgrimage site for many Orthodox Christians.
Founded in the 10th century, Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southern Europe for religious tourists. In 2008 alone it attracted 900,000 visitors.[1] The monastery is depicted on the reverse of the 1 lev banknote issued in 1999. Thanks to Wikipedia...
Labrang Monastery is one of the six great monasteries of the Geluk (Yellow Hat) school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Labrang is located in Xiahe County in Gansu province, in the traditional Tibetan area of Amdo. Labrang Monastery is home to the largest number of monks outside of Tibet Autonomous Region. Xiahe is located about 4 hours from the city of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu.
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 Sangchu or Xiahe River a tributary of the Huang He or Yellow River.[2]
Labrang Monastery is located in the town of Xiahe, which belongs to the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Bachkovo Monastery
The “Assumption” monastery is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the western part of Rodope Mountain, 10 km away from Asenovgrad. It was founded by Grigoriy Bukuriani – Georgian military commander who was at the service of the Byzantine Emperor. After the Ottomans conquered Bulgaria at the end of 14 century, the heroic patriarch St. Evtimiy Tarnovski was sent into exile in the monastery where he stayed until the end of his life. At first the monastery survived ottoman attacks but later it was burned down and plundered. During the 15th century it was renovated. The main monastery church was built in 1604. The wall paintings in the refectory date back from 1643. There are stages of “the Doomsday”, figures of holy monks, stages from the Orthodox Church history, and many other mural paintings. The icon of Virgin Mary is said to be miraculous. 103 manuscripts and 252 old printed books were found in the monastery in the beginning of 20 century and were called “a real literature depository”.
(Extracted from the website, www.visitbulgaria.net/en/bachkovo_monastery).
The city of Alcobaça became notable after the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, decided to build there a church to celebrate the conquest of Santarém to the Moors, in 1147. The church later evolved into the Monastery of Alcobaça, one of the most magnificent gothic monuments in the country. In the church are the tombs of King Peter I and his murdered mistress Inês de Castro. Over the centuries this monastery had an important role on Portuguese culture.