Athassel Priory
The Athassel Priory ( Irish Áth Iseal , "lower ford") is the most extensive and oldest monastery complex in the Republic of Ireland . It is located in County Tipperary , off the tourist routes, but is to be developed for tourism.
The Augustinian Canon Regulars monastery was founded by William Fitz-Adelm de Burgo at the end of the 12th century. The buildings date almost exclusively from the 13th century and were only slightly changed during later repairs. In 1319 and 1329, Irish troops destroyed the monastery because the Anglo-Norman de Burgo family supported the monks. However, the reconstruction did not result in any major changes. However, further destruction in 1447 led to the decline of the monastery as apparently the roof of the church was not rebuilt.
The structure and arrangement of the monastery buildings are based on the style of the Cistercian monasteries. This is particularly evident in the rectangular choir , the chapter house, the transept chapels and the dormitory with dormitory stairs. A finely crafted portal to the refectory in the south is well preserved. The cloister, however, has been largely destroyed and the once flourishing urban settlement that was in front of the monastery has also disappeared.
In 2004, the 800-year-old monastery was in the list of 100 most endangered cultural monuments ( List of Most Endangered Monuments ) of the World Monuments Fund's taken. Substance-preserving renovation measures will take place from 2009.
literature
- Wolfgang Metternich: Art monuments in Ireland . Darmstadt: Scientific Book Society. 2003.
Web links
Coordinates: 52 ° 28 ′ 45.5 " N , 7 ° 59 ′ 1.4" W.
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Irish Times : “Plans to protect oldest monastery unveiled” , December 29, 2008 (English)