Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani

The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani is a Trappist (Cistercian of the Strict Observance) monastery in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States, and is one of the best-known Trappist communities in the United States. It is widely recognised for its association with the writer and monk Thomas Merton.

The site includes the abbey church and monastic buildings, a guesthouse for retreats, and walking trails through the surrounding woodlands. Visitors commonly come to attend prayer services, make retreats, or see the grave of Thomas Merton; stays at the guesthouse are arranged in advance.

The monastery was established by Cistercian monks in the 19th century and has remained an active contemplative community since then. Its mid-20th-century prominence increased with Thomas Merton’s writings, which brought wider public attention to the abbey.

The abbey lies in rural central Kentucky near Bardstown in Nelson County, set among wooded hills and farmland roughly south of Louisville.

• Thomas Merton: The abbey is known as the home of writer and monk Thomas Merton, who lived there in the mid-20th century and is buried on the grounds.
• Visitor access: Visitors can attend monastic prayer services and arrange stays at the guesthouse, but bookings and respect for monastic routines are required.

What to See #

• Abbey church: The abbey church is the central liturgical building of the monastic community and can be attended for services by visitors following the monastery's schedule.
• Guesthouse and retreat facilities: The guesthouse and retreat facilities accept individuals and groups by prior arrangement for silent retreats and spiritual direction.