Home > Arts > Architecture > Building Types > Religious > Christian > History > Monasteries
Enclosed complex of buildings in which monks or nuns live or used to live a communal life dedicated to Christian, Buddhist or other religious worship.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01010a.htm
An article from the Catholic Encyclopedia explaining the history, layout and function of monasteries. Expandable thumbnail image of the plan of Durham Cathedral Priory, UK.
http://www.bences.hu/en
Benedictine monks settled here in 996 and went on to convert the Hungarians. Official history, description and photo album of this World Heritage Site, still in monastic use.
http://www.languedoc-france.info/0305_abbeys.htm
James McDonald provides a guide to the religious houses of this part of southern France, including the World Heritage site of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
http://home.bawue.de/~wmwerner/english/maulbron.html
The most complete and best-preserved medieval monastery north of the Alps and hence a World Heritage Site. Brief history, 19th-century plan and photographs from Wolfgang M. Werner.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/types/types/monastery.html
Images and information on a selection of monasteries from medieval to modern in Europe and Asia, provided by Great Buildings Online.
http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/
A guided tour of this flourishing ecclesiastical community by Macedonian Heritage, including an illustrated description of its architecture, with bibliography.
http://www.augustins.org/
Museum housed in the church and the chapter house of an Augustinian monastery, built in the southern French Gothic style. Includes a brief history and images of the buildings.
http://touregypt.net/catherines.htm
An illustrated history and description of this ancient monastery in the Sinai desert, built 527-565, from Tour Egypt.
http://www.stgallplan.org/
This Mellon Foundation-funded project displays the extraordinary survival of a monastic plan created in the early 9th century. Images of the plan and reconstructions from it.
http://www.officine.it/montecassino/main_e.htm
Illustrated history and visitor information for the famous Italian monastery founded by St. Benedict. Bombed in 1944, it has been rebuilt to its former plan.
http://www.auxerre.culture.gouv.fr/
The French Ministry of Culture covers 15 centuries of history of this monastery founded by Germanus. Plans, reconstructions, biography of Germanus, virtual pilgrimage, and outline of techniques used in studying the building.
Home > Arts > Architecture > Building Types > Religious > Christian > History > Monasteries
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