The New York City Traveler

At the very northern tip of Manhattan Island, perched high atop a hill overlooking the Hudson River, The Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s medieval collection of art and architecture, makes the out-of-the-way journey all worth it.  

The Cloisters was built in 1930 with the financial assistance of John Rockefeller and George Gary Barnard.  This 12th-century building was actually built using parts of five cloisters from medieval European monasteries.  Inside the museum, the center cloister was purchased from the French monastery Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa; other parts have been transplanted from Spanish monasteries.     

The Cloisters collection includes Robert Campin’s three-panel painting, Mérode Altarpiece; large sculptural altarpieces depicting biblical scenes, including the rarely depicted Death (Dormition) of the Virgin; medieval manuscripts and books.  However, the museum’s claim to fame is the collection of seven medieval tapestries depicting The Hunt of the Unicorn.  The tapestries are rich in religious Christian symbolism, telling the story of the unicorn.  The unicorn is significant because, although it is a mythical creature, the idea spread across several civilizations from China to Europe. 

I’m no medieval history buff so The Cloisters lost me with the unicorn tapestries, but there is one part of The Cloisters that I absolutely love:  the grounds.  There are over 250 varieties of medieval flowers and herbs that are on view in the English-style garden on the estate.  The galleries are connected by grand archways and topped with Moorish-style terra-cotta roofs.  The best time to visit is in the summer when the gardens can be best enjoyed.

Location:  Fort Tryon Park, Fort Washington Avenue at Margaret Corbin Plaza (map) 212-923-3700

Getting There:  A train to 190th Street, then take M4 bus or follow Margaret Corbin Drive north to the museum

Hours:  Open Tue-Sun.  Nov-Feb 9:30am-4:45pm; Mar-Oct 9:30am-5:15pm.  Closed Mondays

Cost: Suggested Donation Adult $20; Senior (65 and older) $15; Student $10; Members Free; Children (under 12 with adult) Free.  Includes free same-day admission to The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Check out yesterday’s post on The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Photo credit: Cloisters Sky, Flickr; Cloister Art, flickr; Cloisters, Flickr;

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