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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.
Taken during a visit to Chengdu, China in December 2013.
These particular photos were taken around the "Manjushri Monastery" in the heart of the Chinese city.
A cluster of poplars resplendent in autumnal glow as the medieval Key monastery looms in the distance
The construction of the monastery and church began on 6 January 1501, and was completed 100 years later. King Manuel originally funded the project with moneys obtained from the Vintena da Pimenta, a 5 percent tax on commerce from Africa and the Orient, equivalent to 70 kilograms (150 lb) of gold per year, with the exception of those taxes collected on the importation of pepper, cinnamon and cloves, which went directly to the Crown.
The famous Rila monastery is situated in the deep valley of the Rilska or Rila river in the Rila mtn.s at an elevation of 1,147 m.s above sea level. Founded by (and named after) the hermit monk John (or Ivan) of Rila (876-946) in the reign of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter I (927-968), this monastery has been important most of the time since. Large donations were made to it by almost every tsar of the 2nd Bulgarian Empire up until the Ottoman conquest. Plundered and destroyed (or much of it) in raids by the Turks in the mid-15th cent, the monastery was rebuilt by 3 brothers from Dupnica with donations from the Sultana Mara Branković, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Rossikon monastery of Mount Athos. The sultan signed a deed in 1466 permitting a compact of mutual assistance with St. Pantheleimon in Mt. Athos, and Ivan of Rila's relics were relocated from Tarnovo to the new complex in 1469. It remained a centre or 'repository' of Bulgarian culture, spirituality, and national consciousness throughout almost 500 yr.s of Ottoman rule. Much of the monastery was destroyed by fire in 1833 and was reconstructed and fortified /b/ 1834 and 1862 (in the period of 'the National Revival') under the direction of architect Alexi Rilets and with the assistance of 1000s of wealthy donors from across Bulgaria. It also became a refuge for such Bulgarian revolutionaries as Vassil Levski, Gotse Delchev, Peyo Yavorov, et al. Today it's the largest monastery in the country and houses @ 60 monks.
- Re-erected on its current site by Hrelyu, a feudal lord, in the early 14th cent., the oldest buildings in the complex include the Tower of Hrelja (1334-'35) and the small 'Chapel of St. John the Theologian' handy to it (1343).
- This 5-domed principal church was built in 1834-37 and it's a beauty, with 3 altars, 2 side chapels, a gold-plated iconostasis (the creation of which took 5 years to complete by 4 craftsmen), a bunch of valuable icons inside dating from the 14th to the 19th cent.s, and frescoes and murals inside and on the exterior walls of the arcade (completed in 1846) which are the work of many masters from Bansko, Samokov and Razlog, incl. the famous brothers Dimitar and Zahari Zograph. Zahari looms large in Bulgaria. Frescos in the painted churches at Troyan and Bachkovo, the 2 largest Bulgarian monasteries after Rila, are his work as well. His murals are bright and colourful, although I thought the scenes of demons defecating into the mouths of Turkish women with funnels and pulling their hair, etc. were a tad unchristian. www.flickr.com/photos/pbrockhoefer/313367997/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXeTvAmZweU At least they give an idea of how emotional the Revival period was, when the Turks were brutally suppressing the independence movement.
- "Porticos in the courtyard have Mamluk influence in the striped paint job and in the domes, which became more popular in the Ottoman Empire following the Turkish conquest of Egypt."
- "The 4-storey residential portion of the complex consists of 300 chambers [or rooms], 4 chapels, an abbot's room, a kitchen (noted for its uncommonly large vessels, [huge metal kettles; I took photos of the interesting geometrical interior of its chimney]), a library housing 250 manuscripts and 9,000 old prints, and a donor's room." (Wikipedia)
- The monastery contains a museum (which I toured) and which is most famous for 'Rafail's Cross', a wooden cross made from a whole piece of wood (81×43 cm.s). It was carved or whittled by Rafail, a monk, using fine burins and magnifying lenses to recreate 104 religious scenes and 650 miniature figures. He worked on the cross for at least 12 years before it was completed in 1802 and shortly before he lost his sight. (Wikipedia)
- I stayed here for at least 2 nights in a room or cell on an upper level of the tiers surrounding the monastery and in a cabin in the Rila mtn.s for one in /b/ while I was on a hike. The views from the balconies on the 3rd or 4th floor, near the door to my room, of this church and the tower of Hrelja in the courtyard below, the tiers of the surrounding cells, and of the mountainous backdrop, were worth the trip.
- Either that first day or early the next I hiked @ 5 km.s up to and climbed into the small, stone cave and home of St. John (Ivan) of Rila ('the Miracle Worker', ca. 876-946), patron saint of Bulgaria, which was a hermitage for the man for 12 years and until his passing. I toured the stone 'Church of the Dormition of St. John' (built no later than 1385, renovated in 1820) which is handy to the cave and contains the saint's grave in a corner of the narthex (which I don't recall). And I saw the rock by which he prayed daily (with nice views) and the spring next to the cave's entrance where there's a little shrine. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxUw2EE8G-o www.youtube.com/watch?v=14whvoGMNQs
- It was here at Rila that I met and befriended a couple who I'd run into again at a monastery near Ohrid and who would visit me in Toronto 3 yr.s later and who I would chauffeur up to and @ Manitoulin island (I took this shot and the next 2 in this stream in their company: flickr.com/photos/97924400@N00/3283393360/in/dateposted-p... ), Ewan from Northern England and his gf Lotje from Belgium. Lotje was a student of languages who could speak 8, and who was ambitiously learning Hungarian, the most difficult European lg. to learn they say, possibly after Basque. Hungarians conjugate their nouns.
- I met a young Australian tourist and we made arrangements to hike up into the mountains above the monastery (I with my tent, etc., he must've had one too) and set out on a trail into the forest. See the description for the next photo.
Amarbayasgalant Monastery is one of the three largest Buddhist monastic centers in Mongolia. The monastery complex is located in the Iven Valley near the Selenge River, at the foot of Mount Büren-Khaan in Baruunbüren sum (district) of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia. The nearest town is Erdenet which is about 60 km to the southwest.
Amarbayasgalant was one of the very few monasteries to have partly escaped destruction during the Stalinist purges of 1937, after which only the buildings of the central section remained. Many of the monks were executed by the country's Communist regime and the monastery's artifacts, including thangkas, statues, and manuscripts were looted, although some were hidden until more fortunate times.
Today, only 28 temples remain. Restoration work began in 1988 with funds provided by UNESCO and private sources and some of the new statuary was commissioned in New Delhi, India.
Humor Monastery located in Mănăstirea Humorului, about 5 km north of the town of Gura Humorului, Romania. It is a monastery for nuns dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary, or Theotokos. It was constructed in 1530 by Voievod Petru Rareş. The monastery was built over the foundation of a previous monastery that dated from around 1415. The Humor monastery was closed in 1786 and was not reopened until 1990.
Lumbinī (Nepali and Sanskrit: लुम्बिनी, "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 623 BCE. Gautama, who achieved Enlightenment some time around 588 BCE, became the Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism. Lumbini is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of Gautama Buddha; other notable pilgrimage sites include Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya and Sarnath.
Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Mayadevi Temple and several others which are still under construction. Many monuments, monasteries and a museum — the Lumbini International Research Institute — are also located within the holy site. Also located there is the Puskarini or Holy Pond where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he, too, had his first bath. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate Enlightenment and finally relinquished their earthly forms.
Lumbini was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997.
IN BUDDHA´S TIME
In the Buddha's time, Lumbini was situated between Kapilavastu and Devadaha (both in Nepal). It was there, that the Buddha was born. A pillar now marks the spot of Ashoka's visit to Lumbiní. According to an inscription on the pillar, it was placed there by the people then in charge of the park to commemorate Ashoka's visit and gifts. The park was previously known as Rummindei, 3.2 km north of Bhagavanpura.
In the Sutta Nipáta (vs. 683) it is stated that the Buddha was born in a village of the Sákyans in the Lumbineyya Janapada. The Buddha stayed in Lumbinívana during his visit to Devadaha and there preached the Devadaha Sutta.
REDISCOVERY
In 1896, Nepalese archaeologists (led by Khadga Samsher Rana and assisted by Alois Anton Führer) discovered a great stone pillar at Lumbini. Führer postulated that the pillar was placed at the site by Ashoka (emperor of the Maurya Empire) circa 245 BCE. Records made by the Chinese pilgrim Faxian in the early fifth century CE were also used in the process of identifying this religiously acclaimed site.
Recent excavations beneath existing brick structures at the Mayadevi Temple at Lumbini have uncovered evidence for an older timber structure beneath the walls of the newer brick Buddhist shrine, which was constructed during the Ashokan era. The layout of the Ashokan shrine closely follows that of the earlier timber structure, which suggests a continuity of worship at the site. The pre-Mauryan timber structure appears to be an ancient bodhigara (tree shrine), consisting of postholes and a wooden railing surrounding a clay floor containing mineralized tree roots that appears to have been worn smooth by visitors. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal from the wooden postholes and optically stimulated luminescence dating of elements in the soil suggests human activity (possibly pre-Buddhist tree worship) began at the site around 1000 BCE, followed by the development of a Buddhist monastery-like community by approximately 550 BCE.
PRESENT-DAY
The present-day Lumbini historic site is 4.8 km in length and 1.6 km in width. The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone in which only monasteries can be built, no shops, hotels or restaurants. It is separated into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having the Theravadin monasteries, the western having Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries.
The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the Ashokan pillar and the Mayadevi Temple, where the supposed place of birth of Buddha is located. From early morning to early evening, pilgrims from various countries perform chanting and meditation at the site.
A non-governmental organization named Samriddhi Foundation started in 2013 working extensively in the field of education and health specially in government schools of the area where underprivileged children study. A non-governmental organisation called "Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation" (APECF) backed by chairman of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and then Prime Minister Prachanda, the Chinese government and a UN group called "United Nations Industrial Development Organization" (UNIDO) signed a deal to develop Lumbini into a "special development zone" with funds worth $3 billion. The venture was a China-UN joint project. A broader 'Lumbini Development National Director Committee' under the leadership of Pushpa Kamal Dahal was formed on 17 October 2011. The six-member committee included Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) leader Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal, Forest Minister Mohammad Wakil Musalman, among other leaders. The committee was given the authority to "draft a master plan to develop Lumbini as a peaceful and tourism area and table the proposal" and the responsibility to gather international support for the same.
Nipponzan Myohoji decided to build a Peace Pagoda in the park in 2001, which is visited by many different cultures and religions every day.
Hindus regard the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu and thousands of Hindu pilgrims go there on the full moon of the Nepali month of Baisakh (April–May) to worship Queen Mayadevi as Rupa Devi, the mother goddess of Lumbini.
Lumbini was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997.
ON THE NEPALI RUPEE
Nepal's central bank has introduced a 100-rupee Nepali note featuring Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. The Nepal Rastra Bank said the new note would be accessible only during the Dashain, Nepal's major festival in October 2013. It displays the portrait of Mayadevi, Gautam Buddha's mother in silver metallic on the front. The note also has a black dot which would help the blind recognise the note. The name of the central bank in Latin script would be printed on the note along with the date of printing in both the Christian Era and the Bikram Era. The new note is being issued following a cabinet decision 27 August.
TRANSPORT
Lumbini is a 9-hour drive from Kathmandu and a 30-minute drive from Bhairahawa. The closest airport is Gautam Buddha Airport at Bhairahawa, with flights to and from Kathmandu.
WIKIPEDIA
Wall paintings.
Stakna Monastery.
Stakna Gompa of Ladakh is situated on the right bank of the Indus River, at a distance of approximately 25 km from the town of Leh. The name, 'Stakna' literally means 'tiger's nose'. The monastery was so named because it was built on a hill, which is shaped just like a tiger's nose.
Stakna Monastery of Leh Ladakh owes its inception to Chosje Jamyang Palkar, the great scholar saint of Bhutan. It formed a part of the many religious estates offered by the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial to the saint, around 1580 AD.
The central image inside the monastery is that of the sacred Arya Avalokitesvara from Kamrup (Assam). Stakna belongs to the Dugpa order and serves as the residence of approximately 30 monks. The successive reincarnations of the Stakna Tulku continue to serve as the incumbents of the monastery, preserving the teachings of the Dugpa order. Stakna Gompa also has a number of monasteries attached to it, namely Mud and Kharu and those of Stakrimo, Bardan and Sani in Zanskar.
On entering the central courtyard, one comes across the Dukhang (main assembly hall). The head lama got seven feet high, silver gilted chorten erected inside the Dukhang, in the 1950s. The chorten comprises of a statue of the Buddha as well as numerous Buddhist texts. The left wall of the Dukhang is adorned with three new paintings, those of the Tsephakmad (a Buddhist deity), Sakyamni (the Historical Buddha) and Amchi (the Medical Buddha).
The wall opposite to the Dukhang entrance is also painted with three images, those of a Bodhisattva, Padma Sambhava (8th century Indian Buddhist scholar and translator of Buddhist texts into Tibetan) and Tshong-san-gompo (an early king of Tibet). To the right of the hall are the statues of Sakyamuni (Past Buddha), the Present Buddha and Maitreya (Future Buddha). And, the throne of the head lama of Stakna lies on the left side of the Dukhang
Bylakuppe is the location of "Lugsum Samdupling" (established in 1961) and "Dickyi Larsoe" (established in 1969), two adjacent Tibetan refugee settlements, in the west of Mysore district as well as a number of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The nearest town is Kushalnagar in Kodagu in the State of Karnataka,India.
The shot in the Monastery of Dalai Lama.
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The Story
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McLeod Ganj is located at 1770 m above Sea Level.
The town is located 4 kms by foot( 9 kms by car) above Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The town is a major tourist hangout and also features many trek shops for the Dhauladhar Range. You will also find friendly Tibetan monks, western food, budget hotels, video movies and congested shops selling Tibetan Souvenirs.
The map shows the exact location of the shot.
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Helpful Resources
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HPTDC Resort: hptdc.nic.in/
Phone Code: 01892
The monastery of Geghard (Armenian: Գեղարդ, meaning spear) is a unique architectural construction in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named Ayrivank, meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank (Գեղարդավանք), meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.
The spectacular towering cliffs surrounding the monastery are part of the Azat river gorge, and are included together with the monastery in the World Heritage Site listing. Some of the churches within the monastery complex are entirely dug out of the cliff rocks, others are little more than caves, while others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally complex walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff. The combination, together with numerous engraved and free-standing khachkars is a unique sight, being one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Armenia.
Amarbayasgalant Monastery is one of the three largest Buddhist monastic centers in Mongolia. The monastery complex is located in the Iven Valley near the Selenge River, at the foot of Mount Büren-Khaan in Baruunbüren sum (district) of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia. The nearest town is Erdenet which is about 60 km to the southwest.
Amarbayasgalant was one of the very few monasteries to have partly escaped destruction during the Stalinist purges of 1937, after which only the buildings of the central section remained. Many of the monks were executed by the country's Communist regime and the monastery's artifacts, including thangkas, statues, and manuscripts were looted, although some were hidden until more fortunate times.
Today, only 28 temples remain. Restoration work began in 1988 with funds provided by UNESCO and private sources and some of the new statuary was commissioned in New Delhi, India.
The Agios Neophytos Monastery was founded by Neophytos. He fled into the hills of Cyprus and found a small natural cave in 1159. He then encompassed his hermitage cell, a small chapel, and his eventual tomb. While it began as a hermitage, Neophytos eventually gained a small following and the site became a monastic community in 1170. Neophytos was staunchly against materialism and being bothered, which kept the population of monks small.
This tradition continues in keeping the number of visitors small, by keeping women out.
The Benedictine monastery of Obarra ( XI-XVI). Today only the church remains and a few walls of the abbot's residence.
The location is quite unique. The valley is narrowing to a gorge only a few meters wide, the access was easy to control.
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Das verlassene Benediktinerkloster von Obarra. Es war vom 11. bis 16Jh bewohnt. Heute steht nur noch die Kirche und ein paar Wände der Wohnung des Abtes. Die Lage ist einzigartig- das Tal wird hier zur engen Schlucht und der Durchgang konnte einfach kontrolliert werden.
The monastery was founded in 1478. According to myth, Bogdan, a merchant from Dalmatia, was travelling in the area when he got blind. In the vicinity of the Danube he stopped, washed his eyes at the nearby spring and his sight returned. As a gratitude, he built a monastery and dedicated it to the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In time, the monastery was named after him (Bogdan - Bođani). The church has been demolished and rebuilt several times. The existing church was built in 1722.
Geghard Monastery
Geghard (meaning "spear") is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. The monastery had thus been originally named Ayrivank, meaning "the Monastery of the Cave". The name commonly used for the monastery today, Geghard, or more fully Geghardavank, meaning "the Monastery of the Spear", originates from the spear which had wounded Jesus at the Crucifixion, allegedly brought to Armenia by Apostle Jude, called here Thaddeus, and stored amongst many other relics. Now it is displayed in the Echmiadzin treasury.
The spectacular towering cliffs surrounding the monastery are part of the Azat River gorge, and are included together with the monastery in the World Heritage Site listing. Some of the churches within the monastery complex are entirely dug out of the cliff rocks, others are little more than caves, while others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally complex walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff. The combination, together with numerous engraved and free-standing khachkars is a unique sight, being one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Armenia.
(source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geghard)
At the Ganayon Kyaung Monastery near Mandalay, hundreds of young shamans have their breakfast together in the morning, exactly at 10:15 every morning.
Alcobaca, Portugal, a town of just 15,000 population.
A female gargoyle on the upper front of the building.
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.
Cozia Monastery - Romania
Cozia Monastery, erected close to Călimănești by Mircea cel Bătrân in 1388 and housing his tomb, is one of the most valuable monuments of national medieval art and architecture in Romania.
Cozia features a museum of exhibiting old art: old manuscripts and prints, embroideries and objects of worship.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozia_Monastery
Interesting te read:
www.romanianmonasteries.org/other-monasteries/cozia-monas...
Surrounded by pine forest, the monastery of Panagia Kalopetra was built in 1782 on a mountain slope above the Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes). It was founded by Alexander Ypsilantis during his exiles in Rhodes. Ypsilantis was a Greek prince, ruler of Wallachia and Moldavia, engaged in various wars against the Ottomans. His grandson was the leader of the Filiki Eteria that began the Greek Revolution in 1821.
There are two contrasting stories involving the founding of this small monastery. One, the most plausible, relates that Ypsilantis brought his daughter to the area to cure her of tuberculosis, as the water that sprung from a rock on the mountain was considered to be therapeutic. In gratitude, he founded this small monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, giving it the name of Kalopetra which in Greek means 'good stone'.
According to the other story the prince built the monastery after having survived a terrible storm at sea with his two children. This version says that Ypsilantis saw a divine light emanating from the area of Kalopetra that helped their ship reach land safely.
wearing the crown of the 5 Dhyani Buddhas he hold a muhcha (pronounced muh chaw—accent on the first syllable).
Details of the Gomari Monastery
Rebkong is located in the Golden Valley of the Rongwu Guchu River in Malho prefecture southeast of Qinghai province, The valley is at about 2600m above sea-level, extends from the north to south, and is surrounded by several mountains. Rebkong is also famous for itâs Tibetan traditional arts and cultural preservation. The there are several large monasteries and villages scattering around the Rongwu town which is home to hundreds of artist. The most well known villages and monasteries are Sanggeshung Yago and Sanggeshung Mago(upper and lower Wutun), Gomar Gompa, Nyamtok village.etc. If you are interested in learning Tibetan culture and Tibetan traditional arts, Rebkong will be one of most recommend region.
Amarbayasgalant Monastery is one of the three largest Buddhist monastic centers in Mongolia. The monastery complex is located in the Iven Valley near the Selenge River, at the foot of Mount Büren-Khaan in Baruunbüren sum (district) of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia. The nearest town is Erdenet which is about 60 km to the southwest.
Amarbayasgalant was one of the very few monasteries to have partly escaped destruction during the Stalinist purges of 1937, after which only the buildings of the central section remained. Many of the monks were executed by the country's Communist regime and the monastery's artifacts, including thangkas, statues, and manuscripts were looted, although some were hidden until more fortunate times.
Today, only 28 temples remain. Restoration work began in 1988 with funds provided by UNESCO and private sources and some of the new statuary was commissioned in New Delhi, India.
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..
It is visible, where "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" planned and built the cloister, as there (near the church) is a very early gothic style. Walking around the cloister, the style of the arches changes to high gothic.
There is no Cistercian cloister without a fountain. What looks like a gothic chapel is a - gothic fountain house. On top of it is a half timbered structure, that was probably added later. My guide, the friendly and very knowledgeable lady, called this "the nicest classroom in Germany", as the room is part of the school that is still existing.