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monastery

Ruins of Lindisfarne monastery.  Source: Christopher Down/CC BY 4.0

The Fierce Viking Raid on Lindisfarne Monastery (Video)

The Viking raid on Lindisfarne Monastery in 793 marked a significant event in the history of England. Located on the east coast of Northumbria, Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, was a crucial...
Damaged cranium of one of the warrior monks

Slain Woman Warrior Amongst a Large Burial of Medieval Knights in Guadalajara

A phenomenal research project has studied the remains of 25 individuals buried between the 12th and 15th centuries in the castle at Zorita de los Canes, Guadalajara, Spain. By examining the remains...
The discovery took place during works carried out in the north gallery of the monastery's Gothic cloister. Source: Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia

Medieval Catalonian Nobility Unearthed in Santes Creus Monastery

As part of the restoration works of the Gothic cloister of the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus currently underway in Catalonia, archaeologists have uncovered the ‘totally unexpected’ intact remains...
Loarre Castle. Source: FJ / Adobe Stock

The Formidable Castle of Loarre, Jewel of Aragon

Spain has a strong medieval heritage. Specifically, its northern region of Aragon is strongly rooted in the early origins of a modern and unified Spanish nation. As a vestige of that glorious...
The Book of Deer contains notes in the margin which are the first written examples of Scottish Gaelic and hinted at the location of the monastery where they were written. Source: The Book of Deer Project

Lost Monastery Tied to Oldest Scottish Text “Book of Deer” Unearthed

A monastery, where the earliest surviving Scots Gaelic text was once noted within the margins of a significant Scottish manuscript called the Book of Deer , disappeared from the pages of history...
Saint Ephraim Monastery, Nea Makri, Greece. Photo: Joanna Gillan

The Tragic History of Saint Ephraim Monastery in Greece

Situated in Nea Makri, Attica, the Saint Ephraim Monastery stands as a significant landmark showcasing Greece’s historical and spiritual lineage. While originally called the Annunciation of the...
Sunset view of the Simonopetra (Greek for "Simon's Rock") Monastery, on the southern coast of the Athos peninsula. Source: Athanasios Serafeim distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu / CC BY 3.0

This Mountain Has Been Home to Monks for 12 Centuries (Video)

Nestled on a Greek peninsula stands Mount Athos , a venerable sanctuary for Christian Orthodox adherents. For over twelve centuries, this remote haven has hosted monks in a timeless rhythm. Its...
Artistic representation of the future roundhouse set to be built at St. Bride’s Mound in Glastonbury. Source: Friends of St. Bride's Mound

St. Bride’s Mound: Oldest Monastic Ruins in England Exposed

The village of Glastonbury in Somerset, southwestern England, plans to open a tourism complex at the St. Bride's Mound historical site, discovered to contain the oldest Christian monastic ruins ever...
Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France. Source: PUNTOSTUDIOFOTO Lda / Adobe Stock.

Mont Saint-Michel: A Medieval Abbey Trapped by Tides and Time (Video)

Mont Saint-Michel , a captivating Gothic-styled Benedictine Abbey , stands gracefully amidst the ever-changing tides of Normandy and Brittany. Once on solid ground in ancient times, it now rests as a...
The Escolania boys choir performing in the Abbey of Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain. Source: Jean Robert Thibault / CC BY-SA 2.0

After 700 Years, Monastery Choir “Boys Only” Rule is Broken

In yet another instance of the dissolution of gender barriers, girls are all set to storm one of the surviving bastions of male exclusivity: the all-boys Escolania choir, based at the Benedictine...
Representational image of a Buddhist monastery in Tibet. Source: matiplanas / Adobe Stock

10 Awe-Inspiring Facts about Ancient Tibet

Tibet, a region nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, is a place of incredible beauty, spirituality and cultural heritage. Known for its soaring mountain peaks, vibrant prayer flags and rich...
Buddhist Sohei warrior monks played a critical role in Japanese politics for centuries. 	Source: Brunogm / Adobe Stock

Bloodthirsty Buddhists: The Sohei Warrior Monks of Feudal Japan

When we think of Buddhism today, we think of pacifism, being at one with the world, love for one’s neighbor and nature, and other aspects of peaceful living. Modern Buddhist monks are devoted to...
New study claims medieval monasteries showed resilience in the face of the Vikings. Source: Deivison / Adobe Stock

New Study Debunks the “Ruthless Vikings, Helpless Monks” Narrative

Medieval English monasteries didn’t just passively cave in to the long-running Viking attacks on English shores that culminated in the victory of the Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great . Lyminge, a...
A drone shot of the monastery, including a single-aisle church, refectory, cistern, storeroom and kitchen. The nearby courtyard building, lower right, may be an abbot’s house or ‘bishop’s palace.’ Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain, United Arab Emirates.	 Source: Nasser Muhsen Bin Tooq / Department of Archaeology and Tourism of Umm Al-Quwain via AP

Pre-Islamic Ruins Found in UAE Belong to Rare 6th Century Christian Monastery

The ruins of a Christian monastery dating back to the sixth or seventh century have been discovered on sandy Siniyah Island (Al Sinniyah Island), which is located in the southern Persian Gulf just...
A modern monk walks into Shaolin Temple, famous for its kung-fu warriors, located in the high mountains of Henan, China.                Source: Daniel / Adobe Stock

The Historic Struggle of China’s Culturally Rich Shaolin Temple

The still famous and active Shaolin Temple monastery is best known as the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu and Chan Buddhism, a traditional Chinese subtype of Mahayana Buddhism. Also called Shaolin...
An ancient Buddhist statue (a replica) amidst the ruins of a rescued Buddhist monastery at Nagarjunakonda, India.     Source: Ms Sarah Welch / CC0

Rescued From A Dam: Nagarjunakonda, India’s Flooded Buddhist Center

Nagarjunakonda is a historical town located in what is now Guntur district of the south-eastern state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It was a very important Buddhist site and center of learning from the...
Medieval monk praying with a Bible and a rosary.	Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock

Medieval Monks: The Life and Times of God’s Men in Robes

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a medieval monk? Perhaps you’ve wondered about the reasons behind becoming a monk, or what they do on a daily basis. Monasticism has existed for...
Somapura Mahavihara, is among the best-known Buddhist viharas on the Indian subcontinent and is one of the most important archaeological sites in Bangladesh. Source: Abdulmominbd / CC BY-SA 4.0

Somapura Mahavihara, Bangladesh: A Rediscovered Buddhist Center

Somapura Mahavihara was a well-known Buddhist monastery complex located in Paharpur, in north-western Bangladesh. The monastery was established during the 8th century AD and flourished as an...
Blue glowing ball lightning, a phenomenon that was reported in medieval times, with the earliest English reference now confirmed to be 450 years before the previous known mention in an English historical text. 		Source: sakkmesterke / Adobe Stock

English Benedictine Monk Describes Ball Lightning in 1195 AD Text!

A pair of academics from Durham University in the United Kingdom have discovered an 827-year-old reference to an unusual weather-related phenomenon in an obscure medieval English text. While...
The gatehouse of Bury St Edmunds Abbey. Source: Charles / Adobe Stock.

Bury-St-Edmunds Abbey: Shrine of the King, Cradle of the Law

If you’ve never visited the Suffolk region of southern England, you may not have heard the name of Bury-St-Edmunds. But this small medieval town is home to one of the most important and powerful...
Lost Anglo-Saxon Monastery of Controversial Queen Found

Lost Anglo-Saxon Monastery of Controversial Queen Found

Archaeologists from the University of Reading have been performing excavations on the grounds of the Holy Trinity Church in Cookham, a small village on the River Thames in England. They have been...
The Carthusians: Solitary Lives Dedicated to Pure Contemplation

The Carthusians: Solitary Lives Dedicated to Pure Contemplation

The world of a monk is a world of seclusion and solitude. It offers introspection and an inner peace that is so crucial in comprehending greater religious philosophy. And the lives of Carthusian...
Part of a Tudor wall painting inside the Charterhouse priory, Coventry, England. Source: Charterhouse Coventry

Medieval Charterhouse Rises from Decades of Neglect

With deeply-spiritual origins, and an important function in the religious framework of medieval England, Coventry's medieval Charterhouse priory was all but destroyed in the Reformation. But now,...
The abbey gateway at the now ruined Reading Abbey in a Paul Sandby oil painting from 1808. Source: Public domain

Reading Abbey: Ruins Are A Reminder of Medieval Religious Strife

Reading Abbey was erected in 1121 in the town of Reading within in the county of Berkshire, England. It was a royal monastery established by King Henry I to pay homage to his ancestors and his...

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