Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey is the ruined remains of a Cistercian monastery on the east bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, founded in 1131. The abbey became a popular subject for artists and tourists from the 18th century onward and remains one of the best-known monastic ruins in Britain.

Surviving elements include large sections of the choir and transepts, the east and west ends, cloister foundations, and other masonry that illustrate Gothic and Romanesque phases of construction. The scale of the ruins conveys the abbey’s original monastic church plan and communal buildings.

The abbey was established by Cistercian monks in 1131, prospered in the medieval period, and was dissolved in 1536 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Since the 19th century the site has been conserved and managed for public access and interpretation.

Tintern Abbey sits beside the River Wye near the village of Tintern in the Wye Valley, accessible by road and walking trails within the scenic river valley landscape.

• Best viewpoints: Best photographic viewpoints are from the south bank of the River Wye and the riverside walking paths where the ruined west front and nave are clearly visible.