A Breathtaking Display of Medieval Architecture and Spirituality; The cloister, both a secluded peaceful space and a ceaseless crossroads, the hub of all activity in monastery life, lies at the heart of the abbey, both architecturally and spiritually. As a vital place of passage between work and prayer, its classic layout has inspired some of the most extraordinary architectural treasures of the world. Covering 55 cloisters in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Britain, the gorgeous illustrations and insightful text featured here celebrate six hundred years of art and architecture between the 9th and 15th centuries, from the stark pre-Romanesque period to the flamboyant late Gothic. With an expert introduction to the history of medieval religious orders and a wonderful insight into the spiritual life of the monasteries, Cloisters of Europe is a magnificent monument to art, antiquity and spiritual profundity.

Author Biography

Daniel Faure has published numerous books of photographs featuring the French architectural heritage and landscape, notably in southern France. Veronique Rouchon Mouilleron teaches in the Institut d'Art et d'Archeologie at the Universite de Paris IV (Sorbonne). This is her second collaboration with Faure; the first was entitled Vezalay.