Saturday, May 25, 2019

The Cloisters


 
 The Cloisters

Celebrating the art and architecture of medieval Europe, the Cloisters is located on Hudson River Valley parkland north of New York City. Originally assembled by an American sculptor, George Grey Barnard, the collection was eventually purchased by John D. Rockefeller and is now a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The building, which looks very much like a medieval monastery, was actually constructed in the 1930s using the walls, columns, altars, etc., of real European churches. As a result, the Cloisters provides a peaceful and rather historically-convincing sanctuary away from city life, well worth the long subway or bus ride outside NYC.

The cloisters, themselves, are four-sided architectural features that include a covered walkway surrounding an open courtyard or garden. Despite an unusually cold winter, the gardens were filled with flowers and other flourishing plants. A beautiful day to refresh one’s soul.

 
The central Cuxa Cloister

 
Column detail

 
Smaller over-grown garden cloister

 
Langdon Chapel, constructed with 12th-century
limestone blocks and sculptures from a church in France

 
Lots of statues of the Virgin and baby Jesus

 
Eery half-statue of a religious leader

 
Baby Jesus with apple

 
World-famous 15th-century unicorn tapestry 
donated by John D. Rockefeller

Medieval crypts

 
View of the Hudson River

 
Leaving the Cloisters
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