The Irish landscape is enchanting, partly due to the reminders of early Christianity that dot the hills. Monasteries were built all across the island, but only a few have survived. My tour group visited two particularly impressive sites:
Monasterboice ("monster-boyss") and Glendalough. Monasterboice, just outside of Dublin, was built around 521 A.D. and remains one of the most complete early Christian sites. The area encompasses two small churches, a round tower, two fine
high/Celtic crosses, and a small cemetery.
When our tour bus "Betsy" rolled to a stop outside of Monasterboice, my eyes were drawn to one of the site's most striking central attractions: the
round tower. Round towers are generally slender and tapering, with cone-shaped tops that makes them look like they are wearing hats. The purpose of these towers is still unclear, although bell towers and places for monks to hide during Viking raids are popular suggestions. The round tower at Monasterboice has lost its "hat," but it still dominates the site, catching the eye and boldly announcing the monastery's location. I was amazed at how massive the tower was: I could not see the top of it, no matter how far I leaned back, and several of the stones were the size of my head!
The round tower may be the most striking feature of Monasterboice, but just as impressive are the two
high crosses that stand at the foot of the tower. Also known as Celtic crosses, these monuments served an educational purpose. The pictures carved into the stone depict scenes from the Bible, and blend Christian imagery with ideas from ancient Celtic art. For example, many high crosses include swirls and circles, designs favored by the ancient Celts, along with Bible stories. The two crosses of Monasterboice were fantastic; the detail of the carvings was very fine, given that the crosses bear over a thousand years of wearing and erosion. Plus, I could see just how fitting the name "high cross" was: in my trip journal, I described them as having "the height of two Emilys (which is about 10 feet tall) and the width of one." These monuments stand as beautiful testimonies to the importance of art in early Christian Ireland.
Though my favorite of the two monasteries was Glendalough, Monasterboice had a charming simplicity and beauty to it. The sheer impressiveness of the round tower and high crosses was counteracted by the heaps of flowers strewn across the graves, some of them new, in the tiny cemetery. It was intimate and peaceful, a demonstration that spirituality can be both personal and public.
No comments:
Post a Comment