Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: dormitory

Alcobaça is home to the "Mosteiro de Alcobaça", one of the largest, most famous and oldest monasteries in Portugal. It was the seat of the Real Abadia de Alcobaça (Royal Abbey of Alcobaça), which from 1567 also presided over all Portuguese Cistercian monasteries. The complex dates back to 1153, when Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, gave the Cistercian order the 500 km² area that would later become the monastery, which had been reclaimed from the Moors. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) one of the most influential clerics of his time, had helped him in his disputes with Alfonso VII. of Leao and Castile over Portugal's unilaterally declared independence and the self-coronation of Alfonso Henriques as King of Portugal in 1139, especially as Eugene III was the first Cistercian to sit on the papal throne from 1145 to 1153. However, the papal bull recognizing Portugal, now issued by Alexander III, was delayed until 1179. Construction of the monastery began in 1178 and was completed in 1240 with the first section (church and first cloister). As a result of the initial large influx of friars, particularly from Burgundy, the complex was constantly expanded, including the addition of three further cloisters and a church. The economic success caused a considerable influx, which is why the monastery facilities were constantly expanded. By the beginning of the 15th century, the monks developed a great deal of activity, cultivating the land and developing and expanding agriculture, fishing, extracting salt and iron, promoting crafts and educating the settlers. In 1269 they founded one of the first public schools in the West, and its relocation to Coimbra in 1290 gave rise to the University of Coimbra. The communities belonging to the monastery prospered so well that even in the Alcobaça Abbey, some affluent living began to displace the strict Cistercian rules, a development to which many monasteries succumbed. That's why Pope Benedict XII ordered. In 1335 a reform of the Cistercian orders was announced. King Afonso IV (1291–1357) took advantage of this to curtail the abbey's power. and placed a large number of the towns belonging to Alcobaça under his rule on the grounds that the deed of foundation of King Afonso Henriques did not include the towns. In view of their wealth and power, the monks distanced themselves from the strict teachings of their founders. In 1475, Abbot Nicolau Vieira secretly ceded his rights to the Archbishop of Lisbon in exchange for an annual pension of 150,000 réis. The monks only found out about this when a delegation from the archbishop took possession of his new rights. The monastery, whose general assembly had always elected its own abbots, thus came under the influence of the commandant abbots (appointed by the king). In 1531, Afonso de Portugal (1509-1540), the fourth son of King Manuel I (1469-1521) and brother of the later King João III (1502-1557), became Abbot of Alcobaça, who was also Bishop of Lisbon and a cardinal. After his death, King João III appointed his other brother Henrique (1512-1580) as Abbot, who was also Archbishop of Lisbon and Inquisitor General of Portugal and was later appointed Cardinal. As a result of the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the southern part of the monastery in particular was damaged and the sacristy destroyed. The monastery's own college was completely destroyed and relocated to the rebuilt parts of the southern monastery complex. In two large processions to the Santuário de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, 10 km away, the monks gave thanks for being largely spared despite this damage. In 1774, Alcobaça was hit by a flood when the river Alcoa overflowed its banks. It once again damaged the southern monastery complex and also caused large areas of the monastery to sink into the muddy masses of the receding water. Finally, as part of the Napoleonic Wars on the Iberian Peninsula in 1810, French troops invaded Alcobaça and pillaged the monastery. At the end of the 19th century the historian, archaeologist and agronomist Manuel Vieira de Natividade published his work on the monastery of Alcobaça. It was not until 1901 that the president of the district submitted a request to the government to repair and clean the monastery façade. In 1907, parts of the monastery were placed under protection for the first time by government decree. From 1929, the state began to repair the church and the medieval monastery and restore them to their original condition. The monks´ dormitory

Kloster Eberbach was founded in 1136 by Bernard of Clairvaux as the first Cistercian monastery on the east bank of the Rhine. A small Benedictian monastery had been here before, but after the Cistercian "relaunch", the abbey really thrived, becoming one of the largest and economically most sucessful in Germany. During the 12th/13th century about 100 monks plus 200 lay brothers lived here. Already in 1211, Kloster Eberbach possessed more than 200 settlements, all quoted in the "Oculus Memoriae", an "inventory list". Despite some setbacks due to wars, the monastery continued very sucessfully upto the time of the French Revolution, when the decline started. Politics changed dramatically during the time of secularisation. In 1803 the abbey was dissolved, the remaining monks were forced to leave. The complex with all assets came into the ownership of the last Prince of Nassau-Usingen. From 1866 on, it was owned by Prussia, later Hesse. The buildings were used as a prison and as a lunatic asylum during that time. Meanwhile the management of the vast vineyards (~ 200 hectares) and wine production has continued in state hands. Great white wines are produced here! The buildings now are owned by a charitable foundation, aiming to maintain the important complex. The monks´ dormitory is vast - and a jewel of early Gothic architecture. The awesome dimensions cannot be seen from this point of view. Most interiors of the film "The Name of the Rose", based on Umberto Eco´s novel, where shot in Kloster Eberbach. kloster-eberbach.de/

Silvacane Abbey, founded in 1144 as a "filia" of Morimond Abbey (Haute Marne) is one of the three Cistercian abbeys in Provence known as the "three sisters of Provence" ("les trois soeurs provençales"). The sisters are Sénanque, Le Thoronet and Silvacane. The abbey was founded on swampy grounds near to the Durance (cane=reed). With the support of the regional nobility the abbey prospered. The wealth of the Cistercians provoked the envy of the Benedictines of Montmajour Abbey, who attacked Silvacane in 1289 and took the Cistercians hostage for a while. The abbey got looted by mercenaries in 1358 and in 1443 the monks had to abandon Silvacane. The buildings became the property of the chapter of Aix Cathedral. The church was turned into the parish church of La Roque-d’Anthéron. Over the next centuries, the buildings fell into disrepair, as they were used as a quarry. Finally the premises were auctioned off during the French Revolution and were used as a farm. In 1846 the church was bought by the French government and declared an historical monument. The other buildings were still used as a farm until 1949. Meanwhile the complex is well restored and shows the sober Cistercian architecture of the 12th century. The dormitorium of the abbey seems rather large, as even during the prosperous times not more than maybe 20 monks. One stair connected the dormitorium directly to the transept of the church, the stairs seen in here lead down to the cloister.