Places to go in Strathclyde and the UK.
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Strathclyde Travel Guide - Attractions - Iona Abbey Places to go in Strathclyde and the UK. |
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 Iona AbbeyTravel Information and nearby accommodation
About Iona Abbey
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Broken up during the reformation, the abbey has been reconstructed using traditional materials. In 563AD St Columba, an Irish missionary, established a monastery on the island which became a center of Celtic Christianity.
St. Aidan set out from here in 636AD to establish Christianity in Northumbria, and the island's religious significance spread throughout Scotland. After 200 years of tranquility, Norse raids put an end to the settlement and destroyed many of the buildings. A Benedictine abbey was founded in the 13th century and was made a cathedral in 1500. A few massive crosses showcase the carving skills of early craftsman.
Also on the island are the ruins of an Augustinian nunnery founded in the 13th century and St. Oran's Chapel (oldest building on the island). A story associated with the Chapel is that the walls kept collapsing when being built, and the builders, deciding that a human sacrifice was needed to quiet evil spirits, buried a volunteer (Oran) in the walls. Many of Scotland's early kings and queens, as well as Norse and Irish kings, are buried on the island.
