The Cistercians : Monks and Monasteries of Europe - Softcover

Tobin, Stephen

9781871569803: The Cistercians : Monks and Monasteries of Europe

Softcover

ISBN 10: 187156980X ISBN 13: 9781871569803

Publisher: The Herbert Press, 1995

The Cistercian movement swept across Europe in the 12th century, founding monastic movements as it went, and greatly influencing every area of religious and secular life. This is an account of the founding and development of the order, with descriptions of the monastic life. Architectural practice and the design precepts of the monasteries are considered, suggesting reasons why these beautiful, rural retreats have such an enduring appeal. The book provides a guide to all the Cistercian abbeys founded in the Middle Ages, with maps covering the whole of Europe and information regarding the architectural style and accessibility of the abbeys. An appendix gives information on those abbeys which have been converted into hotels, guest houses and restaurants."

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Review:

Throughout Europe, some of the most arresting sites are Cistercian monasteries, where travelers cannot help but be enchanted by their impressive architectural simplicity and structural beauty. The Cistercians: Monks And Monasteries Of Europe is a stunningly photographed architectural study and presents the most complete visual record available. The feeling of serenity this architecture evokes pervades every cloister, refectory and chapter house with an almost magical sense of harmony. These extraordinary examples of monastic architecture were born of the rebellion against the gaudy exuberance of the architecture of the day: local stonecutters schooled in the ornate Romanesque and Gothic styles adapted their work to the requirement of Cistercian simplicity, with striking geometric patterns and stylized foliage taking the place of distracting gargoyles and fantastic bestiaries. Stephen Tobin (who visited almost 350 Cistercian sites in preparation for this book) gives a detailed and insightful account of the founding and development of the Cistercian Order (which swept across Europe in the 12th century). His discussion of architectural practice and the precepts of design behind these enduring monasteries is invaluable; maps covering all of Europe, instructive tables and over 100 magnificent photographs detail all the male abbeys founded during the Middle Ages, highlighting their style and accessibility. An appendix provides useful information on those converted into hotels, guest houses or restaurants. -- Midwest Book Review

From Booklist:

Much more than a collection of photos, this book provides an engrossing history of monasticism in general and the Cistercian Order, as guided by one St. Bernard, in particular. Railing against what he viewed as the excesses of the Romanesque architecture of the time (eleventh and twelfth centuries), St. Bernard called for simplicity in the buildings where monks would work and pray. The many abbeys that the Cistercians erected across Europe were dominated by clean lines and geometric patterns, completely rejecting the gargoyles, bestiaries, and other affectations of the Romanesque. Tobin visited more than 300 sites, and his photos reveal the strength and simple beauty of these buildings. Even Cistercian ruins are often quite striking. Detailed appendixes of the site locations, including maps, are supplied. A good thing, too, as anyone with the slightest interest in architecture will soon be making plans to visit Europe. Brian McCombie

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