What was the Glendalough Round Tower used for?
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.
Why is the Round Tower historically significant?
The most popular theory is that the towers were used for defensive purposes. The monks took their treasures and hid inside the tower where they would be safe from raiders. The doorway, high up in the wall, made it difficult for unwanted guests to gain entry. Another theory is that the towers were used as bell towers.
How many round towers are left in Ireland?
In Ireland about 120 examples are thought once to have existed; most are in ruins, while eighteen to twenty are almost perfect. There are three examples outside Ireland.
Are round towers only in Ireland?
The modern Round Towers built as evidence of Irish pride differ in that the entrance is at ground level; they are not limited to Europe either, some have been erected in America.
Who built the Round Tower?
Ardmore’s Round Tower, built in the 12th century, is one of the best-preserved examples in Ireland. Round Towers were built by the monks of early Irish monasteries as places of refuge in case the monastery was attacked.
What is the oldest round tower in Ireland?
Clondalkin’s Round Tower
Most historians agree that Clondalkin’s Round Tower is the oldest surviving Round Tower in Ireland. Round Towers are a uniquely indigenous form of Irish architecture. This near-perfectly preserved tower is said to be approximately 1000 years old but may in fact be as much as 1200 years old.
Who built round towers?
The ancient Round Towers that dot the Irish landscape were erected by Irish Christian monks and can also be found in areas where they served like the two that stand in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man.
When was round tower founded?
7th century
The Round Tower, Clondalkin was founded in the 7th century by St Mochua and is one of only four remaining round towers in Co. Dublin. Thought to have been built around 790 AD, the tower stands at 27.5 metres high, still has its original cap and is thought to be the most slender of all the round towers in Ireland.
What is the meaning of a round tower?
Definition of round tower : a circular stone tower ranging in height from 60 to 150 feet, having a conical cap, and built in considerable numbers in Ireland from the 9th to the 13th centuries as refuges from Viking invaders.
What did the monks do in Glendalough?
During the heyday of Glendalough, the cathedral was the centre of the monastic city, where the monks would gather for long hours of prayer.
Who built the round tower?
The ancient Round Towers that dot the Irish landscape were erected by Irish Christian monks and can also be found in areas where they served like the two that stand in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man. However, in Ireland where they originated, about 120 are thought to have existed.
Is Glendalough a sacred place?
It’s the spiritual history that makes Glendalough one of Ireland’s most beloved sacred pilgrimage sites where the sense of “thin place” is palatable for those with a seeking heart.
What is the round tower at Glendalough?
Round Tower. The round tower at Glendalough is considered by many to be one of the most finely constructed and beautiful towers in Ireland. Situated in a thickly forested valley, the 30.48 metre tall tower is built of mica schist with a granite doorway. The conical roof was rebuilt in 1876 using the original stones that were found inside the tower.
Where is the cathedral at Glendalough?
The cathedral is the largest and most imposing structure at Glendalough and is situated in the SE division of the main enclosure on a small plateau overlooking the junction of the Glendasan and Glenealo rivers.
What happened to St Peter’s Cathedral in Glendalough?
It was reputedly dedicated to SS Peter and Paul and ceased to function as a cathedral when the diocese of Glendalough was united with Dublin in 1214. The decorated chancel arch, sacristy and north doorway were added towards the end of the twelfth century.
Why was Glendalough such a popular pilgrimage destination?
Glendalough was one of the main pilgrimage attractions of medieval Ireland. According to the life of St Kevin, to be buried in Glendalough was as good as being buried in Rome. Such a claim attracted the pious and the powerful and historical death notices and inscribed grave slabs record the deaths of kings,…