Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the \u201cMonastic City\u201d.\u00a0 Most of the buildings that survive today date from the 10th-12th centuries.\u00a0 Despite attacks by Vikings over the years, Glendalough thrived as one of Ireland\u2019s great ecclesiastical foundations and schools of learning until the Normans destroyed the monastery in 1214 A.D. and the dioceses of Glendalough and Dublin were united.\u00a0 Glendalough is one of the top attraction on Ireland\u2019s Ancient East.
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The Cathedral is the largest of the seven churches in Glendalough.\u00a0 It was built in several phases from the 10th through the early 13th century.\u00a0 Large mica schist stones, which form the foundation up to the height of the west doorway, were re-used from an earlier smaller church.\u00a0 The earliest part is the nave with antae for supporting the wooden roof.\u00a0 The chancel, sacristy, and north door were added in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The north doorway to the nave also dates from this period. Inside there is a wall cupboard, a stone font, many grave slabs, and the remains of a decorated arch. The most famous of all the landmarks in Glendalough is the Round Tower which stands 33 meters above the ground. It was built almost 1000 years ago by the monks of St. Kevin\u2019s monastery. The conical roof had to be replaced in 1876 when it was struck by lightning. The towers were called \u201cCloigtheach\u201d, meaning bell tower, suggesting their main use. The towers were sometimes used as a place of refuge for monks when the monastery was under attack. They also served as both as lookout posts and as beacons foe approaching monks and pilgrims. St. Kevin\u2019s Church better known as St. Kevin\u2019s Kitchen is a nave-and-chancel church of the 12th century. It is called St Kevin\u2019s kitchen because people believed that the bell tower was a chimney to a kitchen but really no food was ever cooked there. This stone-roofed building originally had a nave only, with entrance at the west end and a small round-headed window in the east gable. The belfry with its conical cap and four small windows rises from the west end of the stone roof in the form of a miniature round tower.![\"Glendalough\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Glendalough-Monastic-Site-Map.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAround the grounds<\/h3>\n
<\/a> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\nCathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul<\/h2>\n
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\n~wicklow.ie<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\nSt. Kevin’s Kitchen (Church)<\/h3>\n
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