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Monasteries of the world i
History & culture

Monasteries of the world

Historic monasteries in remarkable settings — from cliff-top retreats to UNESCO-listed abbeys.

1,241 places · 45 countries

Top countries

1DE Germany239 places2ES Spain91 places3RS Serbia87 places4GR Greece74 places5TR Türkiye58 places6AM Armenia57 places7RO Romania55 places8GE Georgia49 places9AT Austria46 places10IT Italy41 places11CZ Czechia33 places12FR France31 places13AZ Azerbaijan29 places14BA Bosnia & Herzegovina25 places15BG Bulgaria24 places16CH Switzerland23 places17MK North Macedonia21 places18EG Egypt20 places19ME Montenegro19 places20CY Cyprus18 places21HR Croatia18 places22BE Belgium14 places23CN China14 places24GB United Kingdom14 places25NL Netherlands14 places26IL Israel12 places27MD Moldova12 places28PT Portugal11 places29PL Poland10 places30SE Sweden9 places31SK Slovakia9 places32XK Kosovo9 places33US United States7 places34EE Estonia5 places35IE Ireland5 places36NO Norway5 places37SI Slovenia5 places38AL Albania4 places39BT Bhutan4 places40IN India4 places41MN Mongolia4 places42DK Denmark3 places43FI Finland3 places44ID Indonesia3 places45LT Lithuania3 places
Monasteries

The best-known worldwide

Months with the most pleasant weather for being outdoors (go score of nearby towns).

Saint Catherine Monastery i
1

Saint Catherine Monastery

Greek Orthodox monastery (the oldest) at the foot of Mount Sinai, Egypt

2.6 km from Saint Catherine 1,570 m
Jerónimos Monastery i
2

Jerónimos Monastery

Building in Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon District, Portugal

5.7 km from Lisbon
Gelati Monastery i
3

Gelati Monastery

Monastery in Georgia, Caucasus

6.7 km from Kutaisi
Geghard i

Geghard

Cultural heritage monument of Armenia

26 km from Yerevan
Monastery of Saint John of Rila i

Monastery of Saint John of Rila

Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria

24 km from Blagoevgrad 1,147 m
Maulbronn Monastery i

Maulbronn Monastery

Monastery in Germany

6.2 km from Mühlacker
Daphni Monastery i

Daphni Monastery

11th-century Byzantine monastery in Greece

8.7 km from Athens
Studenica monastery i

Studenica monastery

Serbian Church historic UNESCO site in Kraljevo, Serbia

29 km from Kraljevo
Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch i

Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch

UNESCO World Heritage Abbey of Lorsch in Germany

4.9 km from Bensheim
Khor Virap i

Khor Virap

Cultural heritage monument of Armenia

8.8 km from Artashat
Melk Abbey i

Melk Abbey

Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Austria

0.1 km from Melk
Horezu monastery i

Horezu monastery

Heritage site in Vâlcea County, Romania

2.2 km from Horezu
Vézelay Abbey i

Vézelay Abbey

Benedictine and Cluniac monastery in Vézelay, France

12 km from Avallon
Gračanica monastery i

Gračanica monastery

Cultural heritage monument of Kosovo

8.5 km from Pristina
Sanahin Monastery i

Sanahin Monastery

Cultural heritage monument of Armenia

1.3 km from Alaverdi
Haghpat Monastery i

Haghpat Monastery

Cultural heritage monument of Armenia

3.3 km from Alaverdi
Abbey of Fontenay i

Abbey of Fontenay

Abbey located in Côte-d'Or, in France

4.3 km from Montbard
Princely Abbey of Corvey i

Princely Abbey of Corvey

Abbey in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

2 km from Höxter
Convent of Christ i

Convent of Christ

Cultural heritage monument in Tomar, Portugal

0.9 km from Tomar
Hosios Loukas i

Hosios Loukas

Monastery in Distomo-Arachova-Antikyra Municipality, Greece

12 km from Livadeia
Royal Monastery of Saint Mary of Guadalupe i

Royal Monastery of Saint Mary of Guadalupe

Roman Catholic monastery in Guadalupe, Extremadura, Spain

0.3 km from Guadalupe
Sopoćani monastery i

Sopoćani monastery

Monastery in Serbia

7.5 km from Novi Pazar
Jvari i

Jvari

Monastery in Georgia (country)

18 km from Tbilisi
House of the Virgin Mary i

House of the Virgin Mary

Catholic and Muslim shrine located on Mt. Koressos

8.8 km from Kusadasi

History & culture

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Frequently asked questions

Which countries are best for monasteries?

Germany, Spain, Serbia, Greece, Türkiye, and Armenia.