The Bell Tower at Glendalough

The symbolic use of circles can also be seen in the characteristic bell towers of Celtic communities.

The Bell Tower at Glendalough was seven stories high, a sacred number in the Middle Ages. The number four symbolized the perfection of the material world, as there are four cardinal directions, and four ancient elements. The number three symbolized the perfection of the spiritual realm, as three was the number of persons in the Trinity. Seven was the product of adding four and three, and so symbolized the perfection of the cosmos.

The Bell Tower has 4 windows, one facing each direction. They were used for storage, but also for refuge during time of attack.

One can see that the door here can only be accessed with a ladder. The Bell Towers literally soar to the sky, but they, like the Celtic prayer ritual of the caim, draw a circle around those within for protection.

For images of bell towers at other monasteries, click here.

Circular walls were one boundary which demarcated a holy enclosure.

The entrance gate to the community at Glendalough was another demarcation (click here for a view of the gate from inside the monastic city),

as was this incised cross inside the doorway and the High Crosses on the grounds. According to canon law, one was enjoined that "where you find the mark of Christ's cross, do no damage."

Continue to the next page: Virtual Tour of Glendalough: Irish High Crosses at Glendalough and Other Celtic Monasteries

Return to the Index of Celtic Monasticism

copyright © Dr. Deborah Vess 1999. All rights reserved. Photographs by Dr. Deborah Vess. Visitors to this site are welcome to use the photos and other information for educational purposes provided that user acknowledges the source.