A monk chooses to dedicate his life to the search for God in the enclosure of a cloister [from Chapter 4 of the Rule of St Benedict]. The cloister is the physical space where most of his life is lived, alone and together with the community.

The cloister is a school and a place of work The way this spiritual place of work is set up helps the monk in his lifelong project. Varous architects and artists have, over past decades, created the surroundings within which the monks live. The Upper Church is a vivid example of this. The "stillness" that confronts the eyes helps the monk to concentrate on the essential: to be still, in order to be open to God in everything that he does.

In time you will be able to find more information about the people who have given shape to the monastery as it now is.