We are still in Wicklow Mountains National Park and very near the Glendalough Centre. This medieval monastic city was one of the highlights of the park and this area of the park. It was evidently a place of pilgrimage since the 6th century when St. Kevin lived here as a hermit. He attracted like followers and they established a monastery. It seems that there are both many stories and many myths concerning this place but it was definitely a real place.

It seemed odd to me that a place only about ten miles south of Dublin was chosen as a place to live by a hermit, but that long ago and as rugged as the mountains are, I suppose it made good sense. It was a great place to visit and we had the whole place almost entirely to ourselves.

You can see from the first two photos just where the monastic city is located.

A round tower was evidently a staple of the ancient monasteries. It served multiple purposes. It acted as a bell tower to call the monks to prayer. It had six floors to it with the upper floors having one window each and the top floor having four windows. Protection was perhaps its most important function, as in protection from the Vikings when they came calling. The tower is 100 feet tall. The door is 12 feet above the ground. Yes, that's a door, not a window. So, the monks entered the tower using a ladder which could then be pulled up and taken inside to prevent the enemy from entering. This round tower was probably built between the years 900 and 1200. You can see the door and a few people standing in front of it near the tower.

This building was in great condition but there was no information about its function. The building is entirely made of stone.

The cathedral was built between the 10th and 12th centuries. It was one of the largest known early Christian churches in Ireland. The church was dedicated to SS Peter and Paul, but ceased to be a cathedral in 1214. I was surprised by its size which made me wonder just how many hermit monks might have lived here, particularly since they were evidently self sufficient.

We probably spent the most time here trying to read gravestones. Most were not legible from being so old and from the wear of years in a wet environment. It was a large cemetery that was scattered all around the grounds. Again, you can see the door to the round tower in this photo.