monastery – Page 2 – Snapping The Globe

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

During my last visit to Lisbon, I made the journey to the coastal area of Belém. With so many things to see and do there, I was disappointed to realize that there wasn’t sufficient time in my short afternoon to visit all of the landmarks. During this trip, we were fortunate to be there for the Festival of the Mask, which takes place on the grounds of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos.

Staring at the beautiful building, I was mesmerized at its intricate facade and decided that this beautiful building would be first on the list of places to visit on my next trip.

One of the most decorative churches in Portugal, the monastery was built on the site of the church dedicated to Santa Maria de Belém on the harbor of Praia do Restelo. Monks of the military-religious Order of Christ resided here at the time and provided assistance to seafarers in transit.

In 1495, Manuel I inaugurated the construction of the existing structure and the Hieronymites order of monks were chosen to reside in the complex, remaining there for over four centuries. The building of the time was already in disrepair when Vasco da Gama and his men spent the night in prayer there before departing on their Orient expedition in 1497.

Construction of the monastery was initiated on January 6, 1501 and eventually took 100 years until its completion. As an overabundance of taxes were collected, architects’ plans grew until it reached the size, scale and style that you see today. The Manueline ornamentation in the cloisters incorporates maritime elements and objects discovered during naval expeditions, carved in limestone. The main chapel, the choir and the two stories of the monastery were completed in 1550, however thirty years later, construction was halted as funds were redirected to the Escorialin in Spain as Portugal and Spain united.

After various parts of the monastery was completed in the 1600s (new portal, cloister door, house of the doorkeepers, staircase and a hall that was the entrance to the upper choir), the monastery became the burial place for the royal pantheon.

Additional adornments were completed in the 1700s, including important paintings by artist Henrique Ferreira. After the earthquake of 1755, much of the artwork and treasures were transferred to the crown or lost and the structure was vacated.

During the late 1800s, restorations began on the property, including the cloisters. The annex and facade of the church were altered dramatically and are what you see today.

The Monastery of Jerónimos is one of the most visited landmarks in Lisbon and tourists should be aware of long waits to enter…I had no idea. Fortunately, as I took my place in line, I was informed by a passerby that I could enter the Archaeological Museum next door, purchase my ticket there and skip the line. Of course, I was a bit skeptical…if I left my place in line and what I was told was inaccurate, it would be back to the end of the line again. Thankfully, they were correct. I waited for ten minutes, purchased my ticket and walked past everyone who had been in front of me and was still waiting in the warm afternoon temperatures.

The monastery is truly magnificent, with its carvings of saints over its entryways and fine stone details…make sure to stop by the South Entrance which is truly magnificent. Once inside, the two level cloister is a sight to behold with pinnacles, gargoyles and other decorative features and long, architectural corridors.

The interior gardens offer a mixture of the Manuelino, European, Moorish and Eastern styles, symbols of the Portuguese empire and its power throughout the world. Certainly a place to take your time, admire the architecture and spend a bit of time in reflection on one of the many alcoves on the upper level. Pay particular attention to all of the different carvings on each of the columns…faces, rosettes, dates.

You will also encounter some of the remains of important figures in Portuguese history, including presidents Teófilo Braga and Oscar Carmona, playwright, Almeida Garrett and modern poet Fernando Pessoa.

The Church of Santa Maria de Belém, in the monastery, does not need a ticket to enter and is truly the highlight of the monastery. Access to the upper level choir loft is from the monastery, so be sure not to miss it. Take in the view of the church from above before heading downstairs. Of particular interest is the crucifix, the beautiful paintings and the carved choir seating all bathed in the subtle light streaming in from the rose window.

As I entered the church’s lower lever, my senses were truly overloaded as I was not sure where to set my gaze. Entering from the side portal, I first encountered the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões which are located in the lower choir. These magnificent tombs, designed by sculptor Costa Mota can be admired from all angles and both offer extreme detail. The baptismal chapel is also located near the side doors as well as the exquisite Altar Dourado. Along the north wall are beautiful confessionals and large stained glass windows decorate the space, allowing alluring filtered light to enter.

As I walked around the church and marveled at the amazing details that decorated every niche, every column and every arch, I encountered the remains of Cardinal-King Dom Henrique and the children of Manuel I as well as the tomb of King Sebastião and the descendants of King João III.

Make sure to walk near the altar for a closer look at the beautifully painted walls and golden tabernacle. The golden organ is also located at the front of the church.

Overall, my visited lasted just over an hour and I was touched by the artistry and grandeur of this amazing place.

When visiting Lisbon, make sure to head over to Belem to experience some of the most beautiful architecture in the city. Worth any amount of time you may have to spend in line, Jerónimos Monastery is a masterpiece!

For more pictures check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Monsteiro dos Jerónimos

http://www.mosteirojeronimos.gov.pt/pt/index.php
Address: Praça do Império 1400-206 Lisboa, Portugal
Hours: October to April, 1000-1730, May to September, 1000-1830. Closed Mondays, January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, June 13 and 25 December.
Admission: Individuals, 10€. Combination ticket, Monastery and National Archaeological Museum, 12€. 50% discount for 65 years and older. Family ticket, 50% discount for 2 adults, 2 children, ages 0-18.
Getting There: #15 Tram from the city center runs to Belem
Additional Information: Gift shop located within the monastery as well as an exhibit on the history and construction of the monastery.

Ten Thousand Buddhas

Ten thousand of anything is, well…a lot!

I love buddhas, so it was a given that we had to find this monastery that has so many.

But, actually…it doesn’t have ten thousand.

The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery has thirteen thousand. Now that’s a lot!

A Buddhist temple located on Po Fook Hill at Pai Tau village in Sha Tin, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is one of the most famous of Hong Kong’s temples and a popular tourist attraction. Though the name states that the monastery has 10,000 buddhas (many from the Tang dynasty), it is because in the Cantonese tradition, “ten thousand” simply represents a figurative term for an extremely large number.

In 1951, the Reverend Yuet Kai and his followers began the construction and groundbreaking of the temple with its completion six years later. Though the buildings were completed in 1957, it was another ten years before all of the miniature Buddha statues were completed. After Reverend Yuet Kai’s death, at 87 years of age, it was discovered that his body was still in perfect condition when exhumed eight months after his death. In accordance with his wishes, his body was embalmed with Chinese lacquer, painted with gold leaf, draped in robes and put on display seated in the lotus position in a glass case in front of the main altar in the monastery.

Though we were anxious to check out “The Diamond Indestructible Body of Yuexi” and the Nine-Story pagoda, well-known in Hong Kong, we were unprepared for waited for us on the path to the monastery.

After making our way past the Pai Tau village, we followed the directions to the beginning of the path to the monastery. Posted signs warned of “fake monks” known to hit on tourists for money. Thankfully, we only encountered local residents climbing the 431 steps to make offerings at the monastery.

Beginning our own climb, we were greeted with…surprise…the first of the 13,000 buddhas. The path is lined on both sides with 500 amazing life-size gilded Arhan statues, the Buddhist equivalent of saints who have achieved enlightenment, each unique and in a different pose. These statues were produced by artists from Yunnan and Guangdong provinces and modeled after the ones from a temple in Kunming, the hometown of the monastery’s founder, Yuet Kai.

The paint on some of the statues is chipped and peeling, having not had a recent makeover, however, I loved stopping to admire each of the statues and their unique characteristics. Honestly, my son thought we would never make it to the top, but finally, we achieved our goal.

The monastery, built on two levels on a bamboo forested hillside, overlooks Sha Tin and sits on almost twenty acres. Five temples, four pavilions, one veranda and a pagoda comprise the compound. Though officially designated a monastery, there are no actual monks that reside within the complex and laypersons are responsible for the day to day upkeep of the complex.

As we reached the top of the path, we were confronted with visiting lower level terrace or the upper terrace. Deciding on the lower level first, we discovered the The Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall (main temple), Avalokitesvara (Kwun Yam) Pavilion, Samantabhadra Pavilion, Manjusri Pavilion, 18-Arhat Gallery, Naga-puspa Hall and the Nine Story Pagoda.

Starting with the far end of the lower level, we admired the Nine Story Pagoda which is notorious for being selected in 2001 to represent the symbol of Hong Kong featured on the HK$100 banknote. Though I learned that usually the pagoda can be climbed, the internal spiral staircase was closed to visitors on the day we visited.

Another path at the rear of the property, near the pagoda, leads down to Sha Tin and is lined with more statues. We made our way down part of the trail, admiring the images, before heading back up to the lower level terrace to check out the Kwun Yam Pavilion. Located in the center of the terrace between the main hall and the pagoda, the gallery exhibits gold bodhisattvas on one side and the 18 Arhat Gallery of Arhan statues on the other. Other multicolored statues are scattered around the terrace.

Finally, we made our way to the main temple. Though a sign informs visitors of no photography, we were able to capture some of the beauty displayed in this temple, where the walls are lined with almost 13,000 miniature gold ceramic Buddha statues stacked on shelves. Each twelve inch statue displays a different pose and expression and contains an inscription bearing the name of its donor.

The embalmed body of Reverend Yuet Kai is prominently displayed in a glass case in the main hall and three large gilded Buddha statues are also presented to its rear.

Heading to the upper terrace, we encountered the Amitabha Hall, Avalotiskesvara (Kwun Yam) House, Cundi House, Ksitigarbha House, Jade Emperor Hall, Sprinkler Guanyin, YueXi Pavilion and Naga-puspa Court.

Most interesting to note within the pavilions and houses are the Horseback bodhisattva in the Avalotisvara (Kwun Yam) House and the massive gold Amitabha Buddha statue in the columbarium (Amitabha Hall). In the two story columbarium, gold framed drawers, each with a Buddha image are stacked around the hall and contain the ashes of the deceased.

Our visit culminated at the far eastern part of the terrace where the immense white statue of Kwun Yam stands in front of a waterfall and a pond with small, gold statues perched on the surrounding rocks. I loved this hillside part of the monastery, which brought me back to my visit to Marble Mountain in Vietnam.

A unique site featured in many films and television series, the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery is one of the most interesting and historic places that we visited in Hong Kong. Though the monastery is in a bit of disrepair and construction continues to stabilize the upper hillside, the statues were most mesmerizing and the architecture quite interesting.

10,000 reasons to visit? Well, actually…13,000!

Check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

Address: 221 Pai Tau Village, Sha Tin, New Territories
Hours: 0900-1700, daily. The monastery may close during heavy rain or when typhoon signal 8 or above is issued. Vegetarian Restaurant open 1030-1600, closed Thursdays.
Admission: free
Getting There: Take the MTR East Rail to Sha Tin Station. From station, take exit B and the ramp alongside the bus terminus. Go down to the street level and walk past Pai Tau Village to the junction with Pai Tau Street. Follow Pai Tau Street and take the first street on the right, Sheung Wo Che Road and follow this street alongside Sha Tin Government Offices. At the end of the road, is a yellow direction sign for the monastery. Follow the path to the staircase leading to the monastery.
Po Fook Hill Ancestral Halls lie at the end of Pai Tau Street and are often mistaken for the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. These halls are open to visitors (admission free) and served by a series of escalators and a funicular railway. Visitors may wish to take the opportunity to visit these halls which comprise temples, columbarium on several levels of the terraced hillside, a pagoda (entry not allowed) shrines and ponds.

The Big Hut

In 1906, three monks visiting from Jiangsu Province on the Chinese mainland founded a monastery located on the Ngong Ping Plateau on Lantau Island.

Named Tai Mao Pung, or “The Big Hut”, it was renamed eighteen years later to it’s current appellation.

Today, Po Lin Monastery, as it is presently known, attracts thousands of visitors each year, in conjunction with the Tian Tan Buddha, an extension of the monastery.

After completing our visit to the Tian Tan Buddha, we languished in the plaza and admired the massive entrance gate for the monastery. Approaching the compound, the first thing we noticed was that it is not just a tourist attraction, but a frequented temple, still maintaining its original character and traditions. Many people were observed paying their respects, praying and lighting incense offerings in the front courtyard of the temple.

Making our way around the complex, we noticed the pristine condition of the grounds and buildings and the artistry of the colorful architecture. There are many pronounced structures, including the Main Hall of Buddha and the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, with the older buildings at the rear of the property.

As we approached the main courtyard, we first encountered a smaller temple leading to the main courtyard that faces the Temple Gateway. Inside the temple there are deities and guards safeguarding the entrance.

The Great Hall of Treasure is truly a magnificent structure with breathtaking, high ceilings decorated with paintings, hangings and lamps. Holding court in the center of the Great Hall are three Great Golden Buddhas, which represent Buddha’s past, present and future lives (Sakyamuni, Dipamkarara and Maitreya). Also housed here are a number of Buddhist scriptures. Even the exterior is astonishing with carvings and beautiful architectural details. Take note of the Chinese characters on top of the main temple which spell out Po Lin Monastery or Precious Lotus (a special symbol in Buddhism meaning purity).

In the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda, we observed a bronze statue of weighing approximately 441 pounds in addition to a 2,200 pound bronze bell.

The most recent structure to be added to the complex is the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which includes, of course, an impressive number of Buddhas, a shrine hall, a Meditation Hall, an abbot’s chamber, a Scripture Library and other multi-functional facilities for a wide variety of events. An Exhibition Hall for Buddhist relics is also located within which houses many precious items including the Longcang Sutra and the Monk Huayan Preaching Buddhist Sutras (a painting).

The entire complex is awe-inspiring and one should take the proper amount of time to inspect each of the buildings within, discovering minute details at each venue. Photography is not allowed in the main buildings, though we were able to take a few quick photos.

There are a few eateries located near to the monastery’s main buildings as well as reasonably-priced souvenir shops. One thing I learned later, however, was that the monastery is known for making wooden bracelets. They are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha. I wish I had been privy to this information as we would have purchased a few, to not only subsidize the monastery, but to remember the tranquility experienced here.

You can continue your path to wisdom and enlightenment by taking the Wisdom Path, a short walk from the monastery. Here, is a sort of a colonnade where a series of wooden posts forming a figure eight are engraved with the Heart Sutra, a revered prayer by Buddhists, Taoists and Confucians, which is generally chanted during the morning services or other occasions such a funerals. The path is well-marked and can be accessed from either the monastery or the Big Buddha.

No matter what your religious affiliation, you will certainly appreciate why the Jiangsu Province monks chose this site.

Check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe for more pictures.

Po Lin Monastery

http://www.plm.org.hk/
Address: Ngong Ping Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Hours: 1000-1730, daily
Admission: free
Getting There: Option 1: Take Lantau Bus No. 23 at the bus station outside Tung Chung MTR Station to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time: about 45 minutes). Option 2: Take Ngong Ping Cable Car at the Cable Car Station outside Tung Chung MTR Station (travel time: about 25 minutes); take an additional 10-minute walk to the Monastery. Option 3: Take First Ferry from Central Pier to Mui Wo, and take Lantau Bus No.2 to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time from Mui Wo to Ngong Ping: about 35 minutes). Option 4: Take Lantau Bus No. 21 at the bus stop in Tai O to Ngong Ping Bus Terminus (travel time: about 15 minutes). Option 5: Take a Lantau Island taxi.

The Art Lover’s Church

Rainy days aren’t usually fun days for tourists…especially when you are trying to go out and do some sightseeing! So, when I woke up from my nap in Milan and discovered that it was sprinkling a bit, what was I to do?

Grab an umbrella and raincoat and hit the streets, of course!

Since the weather forecast was not calling for the deluge to end any time that day, I reached into my bag of knowledge of local destinations and pulled out San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore.

Having researched this monastery a few times, I had also heard that it was not to be missed…and it was indoors! Perfect!

Reaching the metro station of Cadorna and consulting my map a few times, I was soon standing in front of the church’s unassuming gray stone facade on Corso Magenta.

Admittedly, it didn’t look like much.

Stepping through the doors, however, I must confess…my breath caught in my chest. An art lover’s dream, this church truly is magnificent. Being a person who has traveled the world and seen many religious institutions, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as beautiful with masterpieces covering every inch of the walls, ceilings, side chapels and altar area. It was absolutely difficult to discern which way to cast your gaze.

The church, standing on the site of a former place of worship, was constructed in the beginning of the 1500’s and is adjoined to the convent of the Benedictine nuns, the oldest female monastery in Milan. The rectangular nave is divided by a partition into two sections. The front section, which you see when you enter, is intended for the congregation’s worship and filled with artwork by major sixteenth century Lombard artists such as Bernardino Luini, who worked with Leonardo da Vinci, and his sons, Paolo Lomazzo, Ottavio Semino, Callisto Piazza and Simone Peterzano. The carved wooden altar is graced by the renowned Adorazione dei Magi (Adoration of the Magi) by Antonio Campi above it, dating back to 1578, one of the most outstanding pieces of artwork in the building.

Checking with the attendant that it was okay to photograph the area, she then made sure that I saw a sign pointing to a doorway near the altar. The Hall of Nuns.

Already in awe of what I was seeing, I was not sure I wanted to continue on to another area of the structure. Entering the doorway into a great hall, again, I was dumbfounded.

The Hall of Nuns was unlike anything I had ever seen. The long nave, flanked on each side by the wooden nun’s choir loft was presided over by a massive and obviously quite valuable pipe organ, designed by Gian Giacomo Antegnati in 1554, in the monk’s choir. Beautifully sculpted, the gold detail of the facade is only outdone by the two shutters on each side painted in tempera by Franscesco Medici.

Walking through the gallery, I was overloaded by the expanse of compositions that filled every inch of the walls, niches and ceilings. Truly breathtaking! Looking upward at the starry sky, with God, the Evangelists and angels, I made my way throughout the space, through the hall and behind the nun’s choir, finding my way back to the partition separating the Hall of the Nuns from the main congregation. Here, images by Bernandino Luini, of St. Catherine, St. Agatha, the Marriage at Cana and the Carrying of the Cross of Christ are presented.

Reluctantly leaving the space, I found my way into the location that formerly housed the Benedictine convent. Now the domicile of the Milan Archaeological Museum, many Roman remains, statues and parts of the Roman Circus can be found here. Deciding to save this for another day, I made my way through the courtyard, quickly checking out the relics that lined the area and back into the rainy day.

Glancing back at the church, I couldn’t help but stop and feel glad that I had braved the elements and taken such an incredible and artistic walk through history.

Everyone wants to see the Duomo, but everyone should seek out Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore. Truly one of Milan’s gems!

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore

http://www.turismo.milano.it/wps/portal/tur/en/arteecultura/architetturaemonumenti/abbaziechieseebasiliche/chiesa_di_san_maurizio_al_monastero_maggiore
Address: Corso Magenta, 15, Milano
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 0930-1930
Admission: free
Getting There: Metro: MM1 (red line) Cairoli stop, MM2 (green line) Cadorna and Sant’Ambrogio stops. Tram: 16, 18, 19, bus number 50, 58, 94.

A Utrecht Stopover

After our visit to the opulent De Haar Castle, the return to Amsterdam was taking us back again through Utrecht. Seeing an opportunity to circumnavigate the ancient city center, albeit quickly, we decided to hop off of the train and make quick work of seeing a few landmarks.

Finally exiting the train station, after wandering aimlessly through the adjacent shopping center, a quick stop was made for soup and a sandwich. Realizing that the day was drawing to a close, I wanted to show my friend, Leianne, a few of the things that I had appreciated on a prior visit.

While at the castle, we had learned of the destruction that had been caused by a hurricane in 1674. The same storm had torn through the city and destroyed the nave of St. Martin’s Cathedral, or the Dom Church as it is more commonly known. The Church and the Dom Tower still stand separated by the non-existent nave, now the Domplein, a square with trees. Once the Netherlands’ largest church, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, it was also the cathedral of the Diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages. The tower, the hallmark of the city, is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands. Standing at 367 feet high, it is on the spot where the city of Utrecht originated almost 2,000 years ago.

As we walked up the street toward these two magnificent structures we passed underneath the Dom Tower. Exiting on the church side, it was easy to imagine the hurricane force winds that caused the destruction many years ago. The wind was blowing so hard that we were almost unable to put one foot in front of the other.

Although we did not have time to do so on this day, climbing the Dom Tower can be a wonderful opportunity to see Utrecht from a higher vantage point. On a prior trip, I climbed the 465 steps to the top, stopping halfway to view the historic bells and the 17th century Hemony carillon.

Once we completed our visit of St. Martin’s Cathedral, we ducked into the Pandhof (courtyard) which is located between St. Martin’s Cathedral and the University Hall at Domplein. The Pandhof is a peaceful and picturesque monastery garden, where ornamental plants and herbs bloom. In the center of the garden is a fountain with a bronze statue of the 14th century priest Hugo Wstinc. One of the most beautiful enclosed gardens in Holland, it is worthy of a few minutes to step inside…and if you are lucky, there will be someone utilizing the magnificent acoustics and playing music for your enjoyment (or for a euro or two!)

Musician utilizing the acoustics at Pandhof

As the day ended, we walked around a bit more, just checking out the beautiful architecture and relaxed atmosphere that Utrecht has to offer, before making our return to Amsterdam. Having previously visited Utrecht, I know all that the city extends to visitors. Hopefully, despite the short time here, my friend gained some insight in to what a great place it is to spend time and she will return to inspect it further!

Check out more pictures on Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.

Utrecht

Getting there: Amsterdam Central to Utrecht, approximately 25 minutes, 5-6 departures per hour, approximtely 17€ roundtrip

Dom Tower

http://www.domtoren.nl/en
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00-17:00, Sunday and Monday, 12:00-17:00
Admission: Adults, 9€, Children (ages 4-12) 5€, Students/+65, 7,50€

St. Martin’s Cathedral

http://www.domkerk.nl/
Admission: Donations accepted
Daily, May-September 10:00-17:00, October-April 11:00-16:00, Saturday 10:00/11:00-15:30, Sunday 12:30-16:00