A Day at The Cloisters, New York City: Angels, Art & Artifact

Cloisters: Journeying Uptown

The Cloisters is a branch of The Metropolitan Museum specializing in the art and artifact of medieval Europe and Christendom of the era. It is within Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan and set atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River.

On a cold February morning, mum and I take a day trip uptown from Brooklyn to see its historic art. Well, it isn’t exactly spur-of-the-moment because as a New Yorker, we are subject to the whims and caprices of the MTA. So, I check The Weekender for any ongoing track work and get the all clear for Saturday.

Wherever you start from, it’s a long way up to 190^th St on the A. It takes us an hour from Brooklyn and we emerge from the 190th St. subway, walk into Fort Tryon Park and start our trudge. I keep reading signs for Cloisters and it directs us uphill but this is my first time to this part of town and I am in awe of the natural sights. I can see the natural bedrock and stone stairways in the corners of the park. Who knows how old they are?

The park is empty save for a few dog walkers but the further we ascend, the quieter it becomes. Mum is suddenly apprehensive by all this and spooks at everything. Lol. The quiet park and bare trees remind me of those crime shows where you’re screaming at the lead to “get out!” I re-assure her that we are on the right track and I can even see the top of the structure behind the stone walls.

The pictures below give an idea of the surroundings on a bone chillingly cold day.

 

History

George Gray Barnard, an American sculptor, takes credit for establishing a medieval museum near his home in Fort Washington. Over the years, he unearthed and collected medieval artifact in the French countryside that had been in ruins for centuries and fallen into the possession of farmers.

He sold his collection to John D. Rockefeller, the American philanthropist, and the latter purchased the Billings estate and other structures in the area, in addition to commissioning Fort Tryon Park for the construction of The Cloisters.

 

The Cloisters

Somehow, we burst out onto a main road and see the magnificent structure of The Cloisters looming over us. It is truly magnificent on a clear day and the stark contrast of the stone structure and blue sky is too much to resist so we have to take pictures. I notice an MTA bus in front of the entrance and I am already mapping our exit.

We step inside and head to the front desk. As with Met Museums, you can pay the recommended fee or a “contribution”. I pay and we head into the gift shop with notebooks, medieval books and coffee table tomes on the history of The Cloisters and New York City. I want it all!

My favourite items are the card decks of old English words and their meanings. They are a riot!

Do you know that a “lover of women” is a beard-splitter? Yes, you have the same images I do when I read the card. I come close to howling in incredulity *insert laughing, teary emoji face here*.

I love etymology and one day, will do the Googles on how they came up with those terms.

The Cloisters are so called because of the four abbeys disassembled and transported from Europe to New York City where they were reconstructed over decades.

Cuxa Cloister

This contains the Judy Black Garden and consists of beautiful pink stone from the 12th century Benedictine monastery in the Pyrenees. It is on the main level of the building and the museum’s centre-piece. The gardens bloom in summer, alas, it was winter and there are no pretty floral colours.

Nevertheless, the arches of the cloister make for a beautiful backdrop and you are transported in time to an actual medieval castle in Europe.

 

St. Guilhem Cloister

This 12th c. cloister is from Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert, France and it has a garden with an intricately carved fountain as a focal point. The elements date between 800 and 1660s and the carvings on the columns and shafts depict grotesque heads and representations of beasts. There is a skylight above that permits light to pour in thus illuminating the space. It is much better than if a roof had been constructed in its stead.

 

Ornate Hinged Double Doors

Within the vicinity of Cuxa Cloister is a pair of huge wood and wrought iron doors with hinges and re-inforcing bands. Per history, it is mid 12th century from the Church of St. Sulpice near Tours, France.

The door sits at the entrance to the Romanesque Hall and its elegant shape with the artwork of the bands catches my eye as they served as security for the monastery during the regional wars of the era.

There is a group listening to a short history lesson and I catch a few snippets. Apparently, nuns were martyred! I didn’t know that, did you? Young maidens, to be nuns, were sequestered in towers by their fathers, eyes gouged and breasts cut off. Whaaaattttt!?!?

In that era, Christianity was illegal and present day scholars are still trying to figure out how it overcame its heinous past.

This snippet fascinates me greatly and I will dig deep into the interwebs during my free time to read more on this horror.

 

Limestone Sculpted Arched Doorway

As we explore, we encounter an ornately sculpted arch leading into the Langdon Chapel. It arrests me and I just have to take a picture of it.

It is originally from an abbey near Dijon, France, circa 1250, founded by the first Christian kings of France: Clovis and his son, Clothar. In 1567, the Huguenot army beheads the two kings, and in 1797 the abbey is sold as rubble for rebuilding.

The figures around the doorway are of the French Christian kings, Blessed Virgin, Christ, angels and Moses. It is made from limestone in the Gothic style and its intricate sculptures leave me in awe.

 

Langdon Chapel

Elements of this chapel are from the church of Notre Dame du Bourg, near Bordeaux, France. Founded in 1126, it was part of a Benedictine monastery and its austere stonework depicts its monastic past. The altar is the focal point of the chapel and the rays pouring in through the stained glass windows onto the altar give it a very…ethereal and serene vibe.

 

Fuentiduena Chapel

This is a 12th century apse from Fuentiduena, Spain, that was left in disrepair by the 19th century and reconstructed at The Cloisters in the 1940s.

There is a fresco from Catalonia high above depicting Mary as the Mother of God, with narrow windows present to let in the maximum amount of sunlight.

The centre-piece of the apse is the 12th c. Crucifix attributed to the Convent of St. Clara, Spain, hanging just above the altar. I’ve never seen a Crucifix that large and the looming Christ instills wonder, awe and reverence in my soul. This is my favourite artifact at The Cloisters just for the emotions it evokes in me.

Hudson Views

These are views overlooking the Hudson from the Gothic Hall, I believe. We go through a chapel and burst through double doors to what we think is another chapel, only to hit sunlight and these amazing views!

I love the wraparound balcony and the architectural exterior stonework giving it its monastic, fortress-like appearance. You are forgiven for thinking this is France or you’ve slipped through rock to medieval England a la Outlander 🙂

It is obvious why I consider The Cloisters as one of the unmissable experiences here in New York City. The environment is constructed to transport you body, mind and spirit away from modernity into medieval times.

I read several medieval fiction (a.k.a historical romances. Le sigh) as a teenager and the masonry, art and architecture are exactly what was pictured in my feverish teenage imagination. Lol.

Departure

I have my bearings and we find our way to the entrance because there is no way we are hiking downhill to 190th Street.

The bus arrives in a jiffy, we get on and I discover that we are in the 200ths. Wow! We hiked uphill from 190th to about 207th Street. Impressive!

I love the Fort Tryon area and the New Yorker in me is already looking at apartment buildings for vacancies. If I find affordable housing here, I’ll move in a heartbeat.

I write about my housing hunt in the city here, how I snagged my apartment and how the rent increases annually. I would not snub affordable rent on 200th Street. No ma’am!

I hope that you enjoy this magnificent structure but experiences are better in person so off you go!

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