A Visit to The Cloisters

So a few weekends ago I was able to take something off of my bucket list that I wanted to do before I turn 30. I visited The Cloisters. Ever since I've heard of the place two years ago I've been obsessed with going there. I'd look it up online. I'd tell friends about it. I wanted to experience this place that houses medieval religious art. It was set up like a kind of monastery and I knew I had to go. 

So finally on a beautiful Sunday afternoon my boyfriend and I took the trip to Washington Heights and visited The Cloisters. We walked a bit through Fort Tryon Park (I will revisit Fort Tryon in detail and talk about it in Project Parks. The place is beautiful) and soon we were on the path to The Cloisters. 

Even though it's part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it's not located anywhere near it, which was a little confusing. However, upon entering the place I could see why. All the artifacts and sections of monasteries needed a place all of it's own. There's a good deal to see here. I'll show a few things that I loved about this place. 

I think some of my favorite parts were looking at the various gardens and outdoor space The Cloisters provided. There's nothing more amazing to me than the feeling I get when I walk through a pathway or architectural structure and it's as if I've stepped into another world. It's like I've fallen through the rabbit hole 

Again...

And again.

Look at this doorway. All the detail and care is just lovely to behold! 

When I saw parts of the building from this angle it reminded me of a castle. 

And then there was the sunlight shining through the windows. So mystical. 

And the stained glass was quite a treat to look at. 

This is another garden area in The Cloisters. For some reason it reminds me of ancient Egypt. 

The Unicorn tapestries were intricate (some were graphic with scenes of the unicorn being attacked) but each tapestry held its own beauty. 

Another outdoor area!

When I saw this dragon paiting I nearly fell over. It's gorgeous! Look at the colors and the serpentine bend of it's tail. 

The Virgin Mary and Jesus. 

This triptych painting took my breath away. The colors were so rich!

My experience here was calming as I surrounded myself with all the artwork and sculptures and beautiful gardens. If you've never been to The Cloisters, please do yourselves a favor and go.