Hidden Britain AtlasOpen the map
All places › Castles & abbeys
Castle or abbey

Glendalough

Wicklow Mountains

St Kevin's monastic city in a valley of two lakes.

St Kevin came to this remote valley in the 500s to live as a hermit, and a great monastery grew up around him. Legend says he once held out his hand so long in prayer that a blackbird built a nest in it.

Read the full story, see it on the map, get directions and find what else is nearby in the free Hidden Britain Atlas map.

Open Glendalough on the mapReport a sighting here
When
Founded 500s
Where
53.0100, -6.3270
Group
Castles & abbeys

Visiting

Free, with a visitor centre and lakeside walks.

Nearby mysteries