Iona Abbey, Iona
View of Iona Abbey from the harbor. Photo by Chris Bainbridge.
Photo by Colin Milligan.
Photo by David Reid.
Cloisters. Photo by J Henney.
Detail of cloister carving. Photo by Jim Forest.
Inside the abbey church. Photo by Roger Wilco.
The small Scottish island of Iona attracts nearly 1,000 visitors a week in high season, most of whom come to see Iona Abbey.
History
St. Columba, an Irish missionary, established a monastic community here in 563 AD, from which Celtic Christianity spread to Scotland and on to Europe.
Little remains of Columba's original wooden buildings, but the earliest parts of the current Abbey and Nunnery date from around 1200 AD, when a Benedictine community was established.
What to See
The site of Columba's ancient monastery is now used by the Augustinian Nunnery and St. Ronan's Church. Not far down the road is the Benedictine Iona Abbey, the Iona Heritage Museum, and a parish church.
The Iona Community restored the abbey between 1938 and 1965, and now leads tours and runs a coffee shop daily from 10am to 4:30pm. A voluntary contribution of £2 is requested to help with the constant maintenance needed to stave off the ravages of the Atlantic weather.
The Iona Community also offers room and board to interested visitors (up to 50 guests per week), conducts workshops on Christianity, sponsors a youth camp, and each Wednesday leads a 11km (7-mile) hike to the island's holy and historic spots.
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Iona Abbey. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Scotland Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Iona Abbey - The Iona Community
- Iona Abbey - Undiscovered Scotland
- The Abbey - Isle of Iona
- Frommer's Scotland, 8th edition
- Personal visit (May 1997).
