Last week while taking a tour around some of the Western Isles, we made a visit to Iona Abbey, on the island of Iona.
Iona is a small island just of the West Coast of Scotland. You generally access it by getting to the Isle of Mull first, from Oban on the mainland, and then via the regular half-hour ferry that runs between Fionnport on Mull, and Iona.
The abbey is one of the most important Christian sites in Scotland, as it was here that St Columba landed in 563, having travelled from Ireland, and established a monastery. From this location, they then spread Christianity throughout Scotland.
By todays standards, the abbey's location is quite remote - it isnt the easiest place to get to. However, back in its day, the sea routes around Scotland were the easiest way to travel around the country, and hence its location was quite well suited for the spread of Christianity.
The abbey is not grand or overly large - but is very beautiful. The origins of the abbey we see today date back to around the 12th century, although as with the majority of abbeys in the UK, it fell into ruin after King Henry VIIIs reformation (in the 16th century) when he fell out with the catholic church/pope. The abbey was then rebuilt less than one hundred years ago, in the 20th century.
The Abbey cloister is simply stunning, consisting of a typical enclosed garden space surrounded by a covered walkway.
The beautiful sculpture above takes the centre position in the cloister.
The carving work on the column supports are pretty impressive.
There are lots of beautiful elements of carving work all around the abbey, both recent and ancient. Above is a more recent carving of the symbol of the Holy Roman Empire.
Iona and the western side of Scotland is also famous for its carved stone crosses and grave markers. Above we see one the of stunning stone crosses standing outside the abbey.
Within a museum at the back of the abbey, are lots of preserved stone carvings, some of them dating back to around the 7th century.
The carving above is a great example of a west of Scotland grave marker - which can be found in a number of places, although the church at Kilmartin sticks out as a specific example as it has a large collection of them.
The modern font above is also another beautiful piece of modern carving - supported on its marble legs.
The abbey attracts many pilgrims, both religious and non-religious, due to its history and beautiful remote location. Iona is popular with tourists, as the island itself is stunning, with the majority also visiting the abbey, as it is the main attraction there. The island itself is small enough that you can easily explore the majority of it by foot.
This was about our 3rd or 4th trip to Iona and the abbey. We really love island hopping on the west coast, with Iona being one of our favourites.
Although not as grand and overly decorated like other important churches and cathedrals, I think part of Iona's attraction is its simplicity, along with its history and heritage.
It was great to explore the abbey again, and I'm sure we will be back to see the beautiful island of Iona again at some point in the future.