Set deep in a gorge of the UK"s River Wye, Tintern Abbey has an enduring presence. Originally built in wood, this Gothic masterpiece in Monmouthshire, Wales, was rebuilt in stone in 1269. It was in use for centuries until the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s, when Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. The building fell into ruin but, as the centuries passed, word of its intricate stones and romantic, pastoral setting spread. From painter J. M. W. Turner to poet William Wordsworth, many artists were drawn to the abbey over the years. This majestic ruin is now a national icon on the Welsh bank of the River Wye, on the border between Wales and England. There"s another abbey in County Wexford, Ireland, of the same name. Back in olden days, the one in Wales was often known as "Tintern Major," while the Ireland one was called "Tintern de Voto" (Tintern of the Vow).
Tintern Abbey, Wales
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Wildebeests in Maasai Mara, Kenya
-
Bowling Ball Beach in Mendocino County, California
-
National Love a Tree Day
-
It s Slovenia s Independence and Unity Day
-
Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary
-
An underwater rainbow
-
One for the books
-
Sleep tight, little hedgehog
-
Celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day
-
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
-
The party’s just starting
-
D-Day remembered
-
It s World Bee Day
-
Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello
-
Honoring the rangers on World Ranger Day
-
Patriot Day
-
Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
-
Happy Mother s Day!
-
Noctilucent clouds
-
A ‘circus of chaos’ for Stravinsky
-
Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
-
Infant Sumatran orangutan, Indonesia
-
’Chess on ice’
-
Indigenous Peoples Day
-
Sunbeams across Tartu County, Estonia
-
Don t go chasing waterfalls
-
Polar bear season in Manitoba
-
World Lizard Day
-
National Cherry Blossom Festival
-
The aftermath of a meteorite