By Ben Kesp
The once magnificent 13th century cathedral would rival any of the fine European cathedrals today and even now in its state of ruin, it remains impressive, containing the most remarkable collection of medieval architecture and Celtic artwork to be found anywhere in Europe. The sheer size of the site is massive and complex, located on the Rock of Cashel in Country Tipperary, Ireland.
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| Interior Cathedral |
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| Round Tower |
The original site has been in use since the 4th century as the seat of power of the Kings of Munster. In the year 1101,
Muirchertach Ua Briain, the
King of Munster, granted the rock to the church and that was the beginning of the complex of buildings we see there today. The perfectly preserved
Round Tower is the oldest on the site, dating from 1100.
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| Exterior Cormac's Chapel |
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| Int. Cormac's Chapel |
One of the most impressive buildings is Cormac’s Chapel, chapel of the king which started construction in 1127 and many highly trained and skilled professions were sent from Germany, France and England to construct the chapel which still stands in its original state today. European architecture blended with local was used and it remains a unique building in its design and decoration. Huge restoration work on the chapel has taken place and entrance is only permitted through guided tours. The vaulted ceiling once was adorned with colourful frescoes, with the colours brought all the way from Afghanistan, showing the influence the bishop of the site had.
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| Interior Cathedral |
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| Interior Cathedral |
The massive cathedral was constructed later between 1235 and 1270 and was built up against Cormac’s Chapel blocking off one of the chapel entrance doors. Just opposite the cathedral, the bishop had the Hall of Vicars Choral built for his choir. The cathedral gained international recognition as a place of pilgrimage with many colourful characters associated with it.
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| Exterior Cormac's Chapel |
It was during the Irish Confederate Wars in 1647, that a five thousand strong English Parliamentarian army laid siege to the Rock of Cashel with only 500 hundred soldiers inside and local civilians. The English troops gained entry, killing everyone within the cathedral and setting alight furnishings, manuscripts and all the artefacts they could find in addition to scrapping off as much of the frescoes as they could from Cormac’s chapel.
Unfortunately, this splendid cathedral and its architectural features are lost to Ireland and Europe. The site contains magnificent ruins today along with the perfectly preserved original Cormac’s chapel, Round Tower and Hall of Vicars Choral Choir. Not only that, the views it commands perched on its rock overlooks the surrounding lush green Irish landscape, certainly adds to its impressive size and grandeur. Now it is also a home to crows and ravens that dive in and out of the tall structures, nesting where they can. Their calls echo far and wide over the landscape. A site not to be missed for its history, art and architecture, so if you are passing by County Tipperary do drop in for a visit.
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| Interior Cormac's Chapel with fragments of frescoes remaining |
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