Contributions of the group Cloisters / Chiostri / Claustros / Cloîtres

Greece, Lefkada, Cloisters in the Holy Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni

nobody@ipernity.com (Alexander Prolygin) — Fri, 22 May 2026 22:19:19 +0000

Faneromeni Monastery is an Orthodox monastery for men in the Lefkada and Ithaca Metropolis of the Greek Orthodox Church.

The monastery was finally recreated in 1734, during the Venetian rule on the island, and was subsequently destroyed and restored many times.

Greece, Kerkyra (Corfu), Holy Monastery of Pantokrator

nobody@ipernity.com (Alexander Prolygin) — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:40:49 +0000

Alexander Prolygin has posted:

Abbaye de Valbone

nobody@ipernity.com (Le miroir de l'aube) — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:08:09 +0000

Le miroir de l'aube has posted:

Que faisons nous de notre vie ? Entre les ombres et la lumière , les pavés restent joints, dessinant un destin dans ce chemin d'incertitude .

Liège - Couvent des Mineurs

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:09:30 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Liège is the center of the largest Walloon agglomeration, and the cultural center of the Walloon region of Belgium. The city, with a population of about 200.000, is located at the confluence of the Ourthe and Meuse rivers.

Around 705, Saint Lambert of Maastricht is credited with completing the Christianization of the region, but conversion may still not have been quite universal, since Lambert was murdered in Liège. To enshrine his relics, the successor, Hubertus (later St. Hubert), built a basilica which became the nucleus of the city.
In 1468, following an uprising of the inhabitants against Burgundian rule, xof Burgundy had the city plundered and systematically destroyed. The few survivors who had fled into the forests—Charles the Bold allegedly had more than 5,000 inhabitants murdered—were only able to return to the city for reconstruction after seven years.

In 1789, partly in connection with the French Revolution, the Liège Revolution occurred. It was directed against the absolutist rule of the Prince-Bishop and was crushed in early 1791 by troops commissioned by the Holy Roman Empire. In 1795, Liège was occupied by French troops and became part of the First French Republic. The Congress of Vienna annexed it to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which in 1830 became the Kingdom of Belgium, to which Liège has belonged ever since.

From the 13th century until the end of the Ancien Régime , the Franciscan community, called Cordeliers, was closely linked to the communal and social life.

Over the centuries, the monastery became a public place: a refuge for the poor, for convicts seeking refuge to escape the justice, a place that welcomed many of the city's good trades: tailors, weavers, furriers etc. Other trades, such as barbers, surgeons, and doctors, celebrated their patron saint's festivals here.
From 1577, the monastery served as the city of Liège's arsenal . The monastery walls housed the cannons of the Liège militia and firefighting equipment, which the Franciscans themselves took over.

Liège - Cathédrale Saint-Paul

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:05:10 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Liège is the center of the largest Walloon agglomeration, and the cultural center of the Walloon region of Belgium. The city, with a population of about 200.000, is located at the confluence of the Ourthe and Meuse rivers.

Around 705, Saint Lambert of Maastricht is credited with completing the Christianization of the region, but conversion may still not have been quite universal, since Lambert was murdered in Liège. To enshrine his relics, the successor, Hubertus (later St. Hubert), built a basilica which became the nucleus of the city.
In 1468, following an uprising of the inhabitants against Burgundian rule, xof Burgundy had the city plundered and systematically destroyed. The few survivors who had fled into the forests—Charles the Bold allegedly had more than 5,000 inhabitants murdered—were only able to return to the city for reconstruction after seven years.

In 1789, partly in connection with the French Revolution, the Liège Revolution occurred. It was directed against the absolutist rule of the Prince-Bishop and was crushed in early 1791 by troops commissioned by the Holy Roman Empire. In 1795, Liège was occupied by French troops and became part of the First French Republic. The Congress of Vienna annexed it to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which in 1830 became the Kingdom of Belgium, to which Liège has belonged ever since.
Bishop Ebrachar founded a collegiate here in 966 on what was then an island between two branches of the Meuse.

Construction of the present church began in 1240. The first phase included the choir, the transept, and the two bays of the eastern nave. The church was consecrated in1289. The second, High Gothic construction phase began after 1333 and included the four western bays of the nave, the side portal, the chapels of the side aisles, the polygonal apse, and finally the tower. At the beginning of the 16th century, the west portal was added next to the tower.

In 1794, during the French Revolution, the demolition of the huge St. Lambert's Cathedral began. Under the supervision of a "Commission destructive de la cathédrale". In 1803, the two towers on the facade were destroyed. By 1827, almost the entire complex had been leveled.

After the revolution subsided, the population sought a replacement and chose the Collegiate Church as the church closest to the city center. After the church was elevated to cathedral status in 1804, the tower was raised by a bell tower and a spire; The western towers of the destroyed St. Lambert's Cathedral served as a model. A comprehensive restoration in the Neo-Gothic style took place between 1850 and 1875. The choir received two additional side aisles, and the entire exterior façade was decorated with statues and ornamental elements.

From 1445 onwards, the cloister was built on the south side of the church

Dortmund - Propsteikirche St. Johannes Baptist

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 23:12:09 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

With over 600,000 inhabitants Dortmund is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the ninth-largest city in Germany.

Dortmund tradition has attributed the city's founding to Charlemagne, even though this is ultimately not documented. Traces of such a castle—considered to have been founded by Charlemagne due to its typical square layout—can still be found today in Dortmund's city center. Since the "Hellweg" became the preferred travel route for kings between the West Frankish part of the empire and Saxon, it was necessary to establish palaces along the route. Its assumed that the city rose to become an important palace in Westphalia and the Hellweg region in the 10th century.

In 1152, a court assembly took place here under King Frederick Barbarossa. Craftsmen and traders settled and contributed to Dortmund's gradual development as a city. As early as 1200, the city was fortified with city walls. In 1232 a major city fire broke out. It destroyed the city almost completely. The fire also lost the city archives and with it all documents. The privileges, which had been lost in the city fire, were renewed in 1236 by Frederick II.

In 1293, the city was granted brewing rights, and an unprecedented development of the beer industry began within the city. The influence of Dortmund's citizens also grew. This citizenry or patriciate consisted of influential families with excellent trading relations throughout Europe. They were important in the Hanseatic League

In 1389, Dortmund survived the Great Dortmund Feud against the Count of Mark and the Archbishop of Cologne and their allies. However, the city's economic decline began.

Only with the onset of industrialization was the decline halted. From the mid-19th century onward, coal mining and steel processing led to Dortmund's renewed rise and its transformation into an industrial city. With the opening of the Cologne-Minden Railway in 1847, Dortmund became an important transportation hub in the Ruhr region. The opening of the Dortmund-Ems Canal and thus the port in 1899 made a further significant contribution to economic development. This infrastructure paved Dortmund's path to becoming a major city. The city grew beyond the narrow confines of the medieval ramparts.

In 1876, over 50,000 people lived in Dortmund; by 1929, their number had risen to over 530,000.

During WW II, the city was destroyed by a total of 105 air raids. During the major raid on March 12, 1945, over 4,800 tons of bombs hit the city. This attack was the heaviest bombing raid on a German city. 95% of the historic city center and 59% of the residential area were destroyed. According to contemporary reports, it was initially considered not to rebuild the city center. However, reconstruction progressed quickly and by 1950 the city had 500,000 inhabitants.

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The Propsteikirche is one of Dortmund's four inner-city churches.

A Dominican abbey was founded in Dortmund in 1330, and a first abbey church was built from 1331 to 1353. It was expanded to a Gothic hall church, begun in 1404 and consecrated in 1458. The church of a mendicant order, it was mainly a place for prayer and built simple and without a steeple.

During the Reformation, all four inner-city churches initially became Protestant. This church became the first Catholic parish church in Dortmund after the Reformation in 1819. During industrialization and the associated influx of primarily Roman Catholic workers from the East, the number of community members increased sharply.

During WW II, the church was destroyed down to its surrounding walls. However, the church's most important art treasures had been stored away beforehand, so they survived the war. The church was rebuilt between 1947 and 1964 and a part of the cloister got reconstructed..

Bulgaria, Rila Monastery Inside

nobody@ipernity.com (Alexander Prolygin) — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:14:03 +0000

Alexander Prolygin has posted:

According to legend, the monastery was founded at the end of the 10th century by Saint John of Rila (876-946). Saint John lived in a cave near the current monastery, while the monastery itself was built by his disciples who came to the mountains to continue their studies.

In the 14th century, after an earthquake, the monastery was thoroughly rebuilt by the local feudal lord Hrelyo Dragovol, turning it into a solidly fortified architectural ensemble. But in the middle of the 15th century, the Turks plundered and destroyed it. Only the tower (1334-1335), named after Dragovol, has survived to this day.

The monastery's Katholikon (Main Church) was built in the mid-19th century (architect Pavel Yoanov) on the site of a small church from 1343. The church is crowned with 5 domes, has three altars and two side chapels.

Bulgaria, Rila Monastery, Cloister Cells

nobody@ipernity.com (Alexander Prolygin) — Tue, 13 May 2025 07:42:36 +0000

Alexander Prolygin has posted:

Bulgaria, Rila Monastery, Cloisters and Hrelyo’s Tower

nobody@ipernity.com (Alexander Prolygin) — Mon, 12 May 2025 05:29:23 +0000

Alexander Prolygin has posted:

Canterbury - Cathedral

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 21:03:40 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

According to legend, Canterbury was founded by Rudilibas in 900 BC and called Caerkent by the ancient Britons. From 43 AD, the Roman Durovernum Cantiacorum was built here and developed into an administrative centre. From 200 AD, the city was surrounded by city walls. Æthelberht of Kent, who ruled from 568 AD, made Canterbury his residence.

After the Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity, the city became the seat of the archbishop. In 842 and 851, Canterbury suffered great loss of life in Danish raids. In 1011, the city was besieged by a Viking army, culminating in the sack of the city.

The people of Canterbury remembered this destruction and offered no resistance to the invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066.

In 1363, during the Hundred Years' War, a commission found that the Roman wall had eroded due to dilapidation, stone theft and ditch filling. Between 1378 and 1402, the wall was virtually rebuilt and new wall towers added. In 1448, Canterbury was granted city charter, which gave the city a mayor and high sheriff.

In the mid-16th century, many Huguenots, facing persecution fled and resettled. The first Huguenot church in Canterbury was founded around 1548. With the accession of Mary I, the Huguenot inhabitants of Canterbury were forced to flee in 1553, but after the accession of Elizabeth I, a number of Huguenots returned. In the 17th century, French-speaking Huguenots made up two-fifths of Canterbury's population.

Canterbury was not only the starting point of the historic Via Francigena, which leads to Rome, but also the destination of many pilgrimages. One of these is described by Geoffrey Chaucer, author of "The Canterbury Tales".

The cathedral towers over all the buildings in the city and can be seen from everywhere.

In 597, missionaries led by the monk Augustine arrived in Canterbury. Remains of this first cathedral were found under the removed floor slabs during renovation work in 1993, including remains from Roman times. . In 950, the building was renovated by Archbishop Bodo. The church burnt down shortly after the Norman conquest in 1067. Begun under Lanfrank, a confidant of William the Conqueror, it then took several centuries to create what can be seen today: a very complicated and extensive spatial structure with Romanesque, early Gothic and late Gothic sections.

The cloister

Bilbao - Catedral de Santiago Apóstol

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:14:52 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country and the tenth largest city in Spain, with a population of about 350,000. The metropolitan area has more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.

After its foundation in the late 13th century Bilbao was one of the commercial hubs of the Basque Country that enjoyed significant importance in the Crown of Castile. In 1372, John I of Castile named Bilbao a free port and granting it special privileges concerning the trade of iron. This caused Bilbao to become an important port, particularly due to its trade with Flanders and Great Britain.

In 1511, Queen Joanna of Castile ordered the creation of the Consulate of the Sea of Bilbao. Under the Consulate's control, the port of Bilbao became one of the most important of the kingdom. The first printing-press was brought to the town in 1577. Here in 1596, the first book in the Basque language was edited.

Around 1631, the city was the scenario of a series of revolts against the increased taxation on salt, an event locally known as the "Machinada of the salt". The revolt ended with the execution of several of its leaders. The city had seen a continuous increase of its wealth, especially after the discovery of extensive iron deposits in the surrounding mountains.

Despite the Peninsular War and the Carlist Wars, Bilbao prospered during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it rose as the economic centre of the Basque Country.

In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War the city suffered its first bombing. The Nationalists threatened further bombing if the city did not give up. In September German planes, in coordination with Francoist forces, dropped at least a hundred bombs on the city.

With the war over, Bilbao returned to its industrial development, accompanied by steady population growth. In the 1980s, several factors led to a devastating industrial crisis. Since the mid-1990s, Bilbao has been in a process of deindustrialization and transition to a service economy. It started with the opening of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, continuing with the Conference Centre and the Concert Hall and the metro network.

Bilbao Cathedral is the episcopal church of the diocese of Bilbao, which was founded in 1949. The Gothic church, which was elevated to basilica minor status in 1819, dates back to a pilgrimage church on the coastal route of the Way of St James.

A chapel for pilgrims on the Way of St James already existed before the town was founded in 1300. From 1380, a new parish and collegiate church was built on the site of the chapel. The new building testifies to the rapidly growing importance of the town. The cathedral is inspired by French cathedral Gothic. It is a three-aisled basilica with a central transept. The portal façade and the bell tower were rebuilt between 1885 and 1890.

The cloister

Monasterio de Santa María de Valdediós

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 11:23:49 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The monastery was founded in 1200 by King Alfonso IX of León and King Berenguela of Castile by donating a place to the Cistercian Order for the construction of a monastery there. It was erected next to the pre-Romanesque church of San Salvador de Valdediós (see prev uploads).

The construction of the church began in 1218 under the direction of the master Gualterius, possibly of Frankish origin, and was completed around 1225. The monastery became an important and well-endowed abbey. After a decline the monastery joined the Cistercian congregation in 1515.

During the War of Independence, the monastery had to be abandoned from 1808 to 1812. It was dissolved in 1835, but some monks remained in the monastery, the last of whom died in 1862.

The cloister

Oviedo - Universidad de Oviedo

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:21:35 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Oviedo was founded on a hill that the Romans called Ovetao. The monks Máximo and Fromestano founded a monastery on the Roman road in 761 and built a hermitage. Later, two dozen monks from the Muslim south joined the founders and, according to a document, chose Fromestano as their first abbot. They were under the protection of Fruela I, who chose the place as a residence for his wife Munia, who gave birth here to their son and later King Alfonso II.

Alfonso II (aka "the Chaste", "el Casto" moved the capital here in 812 and made Oviedo the seat of the bishopric. In 912, however, Oviedo lost its function as capital to León under García I in the course of the reconquest. Alfonso II fortified Oviedo and furnished it with palaces and churches.

During his reign, a tomb attributed to St James the Elder was discovered in Santiago de Compostela in 812. The king travelled from Oviedo to Santiago and is said to have been the first pilgrim to Santiago. He is also said to have opened the first Way of St James, the Camino Primitivo. Until the city of León was established as both the capital of the Kingdom of León and the nexus of a safe route — the Camino Francés — the Camino Primitivo remained the most frequented route for those going to Santiago.

The University of Oviedo was established under the terms and conditions of the will of Archbishop Fernando de Valdés Salas (1483–1568), who was the General Inquisitor under Philip II of Spain , and funded by his estate. In 1574 Pope Gregory XIII granted the papal bull to create the university and in 1604 Philip III issued its charter. It first opened for the teaching of classes in September 1608.

In the center of the cloister is a statue of the founder Fernando de Valdés Salas

Oviedo - Museo Arqueológico de Asturias

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 20:01:14 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Oviedo was founded on a hill that the Romans called Ovetao. The monks Máximo and Fromestano founded a monastery on the Roman road in 761 and built a hermitage. Later, two dozen monks from the Muslim south joined the founders and, according to a document, chose Fromestano as their first abbot. They were under the protection of Fruela I, who chose the place as a residence for his wife Munia, who gave birth here to their son and later King Alfonso II.

Alfonso II (aka "the Chaste", "el Casto" moved the capital here in 812 and made Oviedo the seat of the bishopric. In 912, however, Oviedo lost its function as capital to León under García I in the course of the reconquest. Alfonso II fortified Oviedo and furnished it with palaces and churches.

During his reign, a tomb attributed to St James the Elder was discovered in Santiago de Compostela in 812. The king travelled from Oviedo to Santiago and is said to have been the first pilgrim to Santiago. He is also said to have opened the first Way of St James, the Camino Primitivo. Until the city of León was established as both the capital of the Kingdom of León and the nexus of a safe route — the Camino Francés — the Camino Primitivo remained the most frequented route for those going to Santiago.

The Museo Arqueológico de Asturias is housed in a 16th century monastery.

The Comisión Provincial de Monumentos, founded in 1845 to protect Spanish and Asturian cultural assets and monuments, opened a museum in 1870 for artefacts from Asturias and other donated items. The Museo Arqueológico de Asturias was officially founded in 1944 and moved to its current location.

Monforte de Lemos - Monasterio de San Vicente del Pino (PiP)

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:51:41 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The Lemavi tribe populated the area around Monforte de Lemos, before the Romans, the Suevi and the Visigoths left their own footprints.

Tt is believed the town was destroyed in the 8th century by the Muslim invaders. In the 12th century, the settlemet was granted to Fruela Díaz, of the House of Lemos, who had the town rebuilt over the ruins. Monforte flourished as an agricultural market.

During the Middle Ages, a Benedictine community established on the Monastery of San Vicente del Pino. Both the capital tower and the fortified city's walls were demolished during the Irmandiño revolt in the second half of 15th century. The rebels repressed by the Count of Lemos, the lord of the land, who made them work to rebuild the castle.

The former monastery of San Vicente del Pino now forms the Parador hotel together with the palace.

The construction of the current building dates back to the 16th century, although there are references to its origins in the 10th century.

The cloister

Mosteiro de Santa María de Ferreira

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:12:24 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The monastery dates back to the 10th century and it seems to have been a monastery for monks and nuns from the earliest times until the 12th century. In 1175 after a period of decadence, Countess Fronilda de Lemos restored monastic life, the monastery was rehabilitated and integrated into the Cistercian order.

The church of the monastery is due to its profuse and diverse ornamentation, especially in its apse. It is considered to have been built prior to the incorporation of the monastery into the Cistercian order.
The cloister

Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:00:02 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil is a former Benedictine monastery. The ensemble of buildings, in which three cloisters have been preserved, is now used as a Parador hotel.

The first monastery probably already existed in Visigothic times. At the beginning of the 10th century, a hermit settled in the abandoned monastery and founded a new community with other hermits who had retreated to the Sil Valley. The Galician king Ordoño II granted privileges and from 921 the monastery was rebuilt and dedicated to St Stephen. The monastery's coat of arms, which depicts nine mitres, commemorates nine bishops who renounced their episcopal see in the 10th and 11th centuries and retired to the monastery of Santo Estevo. They were buried in the monastery and, as they were venerated as saints, their tombs soon attracted pilgrims.

As there were frequent disputes with the local landlords among the later commendatory abbots, Pope Julius II placed the monastery under the Benedictine Congregation of Valladolid in 1506. As a result, a school of liberal arts and philosophy was established in Santo Estevo and the monastery experienced a new period of prosperity.

Two more cloisters and new monastery buildings, a chapter house, a large kitchen and a dining hall as well as dormitories were built. In the 17th century, 60 monks lived there.

After the disamortisation of 1835, the monastery buildings fell into disrepair and were only restored at the end of the 20th century.

Cloister

I've been here before, but I checked in for one night to better ‘explore’ the former monastery.

Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:07:57 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 12:16:32 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil is a former Benedictine monastery. The ensemble of buildings, in which three cloisters have been preserved, is now used as a Parador hotel.

The first monastery probably already existed in Visigothic times. At the beginning of the 10th century, a hermit settled in the abandoned monastery and founded a new community with other hermits who had retreated to the Sil Valley. The Galician king Ordoño II granted privileges and from 921 the monastery was rebuilt and dedicated to St Stephen. The monastery's coat of arms, which depicts nine mitres, commemorates nine bishops who renounced their episcopal see in the 10th and 11th centuries and retired to the monastery of Santo Estevo. They were buried in the monastery and, as they were venerated as saints, their tombs soon attracted pilgrims.

As there were frequent disputes with the local landlords among the later commendatory abbots, Pope Julius II placed the monastery under the Benedictine Congregation of Valladolid in 1506. As a result, a school of liberal arts and philosophy was established in Santo Estevo and the monastery experienced a new period of prosperity.

Two more cloisters and new monastery buildings, a chapter house, a large kitchen and a dining hall as well as dormitories were built. In the 17th century, 60 monks lived there.

After the disamortisation of 1835, the monastery buildings fell into disrepair and were only restored at the end of the 20th century.

I've been here before, but I checked in for one night to better ‘explore’ the former monastery.

Parada de Sil - Monasterio de Santa Cristina

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:14:12 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The Benedictine monastery has its origins in the 10th century. Century. It was initially an independent monastery and, from around the 16th century, a priory dependent on the monastery of San Esteban de Ribas de Sil. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most important monasteries in the Ribeira Sacra. The monks cultivated chestnut trees and vines. The confiscation meant the complete abandonment of the village.

The Romanesque church from the end of the 12th century has been preserved. It has the floor plan of a Latin cross.

The cloister