Tintern Abbey, Wales
© matthibcn/Getty Image
Tintern Abbey, Wales
Set deep in a gorge of the River Wye, Tintern Abbey has an enduring presence. Originally constructed with wood in 1131, in Monmouthshire, Wales, this Gothic masterpiece was rebuilt in stone in 1269 and then abandoned in the 16th century after the dissolution of the monasteries when Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. Now a national icon, the abbey's mediaeval history was mostly uneventful. As centuries passed, word of the abbey and of its intricate stones and romantic, pastoral setting spread. From painter J.M.W. Turner to poet William Wordsworth, many artists were drawn to the abbey over the years. Interestingly, there's another abbey in County Wexford, Ireland, of the same name. Back in olden days, the one in Wales was often known as 'Tintern Major,' while the one in Ireland was called 'Tintern de Voto.'
Related Images
Landmark Center clock tower and Winter Carnival Ice Palace in St. Paul, Minnesota
Sandcastle on Malvarrosa Beach in Valencia, Spain
For Waitangi Day, the Pancake Rocks on New Zealand’s South Island
Meditation domes at the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh, India
An old farm in the Shetland Islands, Scotland
A carving of artist W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp in the Pura Meduwe Karang temple in Bali, Indonesia
At Casa Batlló for Saint Jordi’s Day in Barcelona, Spain
At the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum for the ides of March
Bing Today Images
