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Glendalough is renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin.
His fame as a holy man spread and he attracted numerous followers. He died in about 618. For six centuries afterwards, Glendalough flourished and the Irish Annals contain references to the deaths of abbots and raids on the settlement.
The destruction of the settlement by English forces in 1398 left it a ruin but it continued as a church of local importance and a place of pilgrimage. The buildings which survive probably date from between the 10th and 12th centuries.
The Gateway to the monastic city of Glendalough is one of the most important monuments, now totally unique in Ireland. It was originally two-storied with two fine, granite arches. The antae or projecting walls at each end suggest that it had a timber roof. Inside the gateway, in the west wall, is a cross-inscribed stone. This denoted sanctuary, the boundary of the area of refuge. The paving of the causeway in the monastic city is still preserved in part but very little remains of the enclosure wall.
The Round Tower built of mica-slate interspersed with granite is about 30 meters high, with an entrance 3.5 meters from the base. The conical roof was rebuilt in 1876 using the original stones. The tower originally had six timber floors, connected by ladders. The four stories above entrance level are each lit by a small window; while the top story has four windows facing the cardinal compass points. Round towers, landmarks for approaching visitors, were built as bell towers, but also served on occasion as store-houses and as places of refuge in times of attack.
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St. Kevin’s Church
St. Kevin’s Church is one of the few stone roofed churches in Ireland, it is popularly known as St. Kevin’s Kitchen as the bell tower resembles a kitchen chimney however it was never actually used as a kitchen.
The steep roof, formed of overlapping stones, is supported internally by a semi-circular vault, a sophisticated construction technique that allowed the weight of the stone to be distributed evenly along the walls. This corbelled stone roofing system is an exceptional survival in Irish ecclesiastical architecture and demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship. Access to the croft or roof chamber was through a rectangular opening towards the western end of the vault, suggesting that the upper space may have been used for storage or possibly as a secure area for valuables. The church also had a timber first floor, indicating that the interior was once divided vertically to create additional usable space.
The belfry, with its conical cap and four small windows, rises from the west end of the stone roof in the form of a miniature round tower. Its proportions and detailing closely resemble the larger round towers found at major monastic sites across Ireland. The bell tower would have served both practical and symbolic purposes, calling the monastic community to prayer while also asserting the status and permanence of the settlement. Together, the stone vault, upper chamber and distinctive belfry make St. Kevin’s Church one of the most architecturally distinctive buildings at Glendalough.
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