Monastic troglodyte (cave) dwellings carved in the rocks, Zelve, Cappadocia, Turkey, Europe

Novice monks line up in front of monastic building at the new Karma Theckhling Monastery, built in traditional Sikkim style, Ravangla (Rabongla), Sikkim, India, Asia

Inch Abbey, a large, ruined monastic site, Downpatrick, County Down, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Cathedral of the Holy Savior, UNESCO, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

Church of St-Honorat, Alyscamps, UNESCO, Arles, Bouches du Rhone, Camargue, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France

Frontage of Convent of San Bernardino of Sienna, Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

The Monastery, Alcobaca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Portugal, Europe

Western Monastery, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, China, Asia

The Monastery, Alcobaca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Portugal, Europe

The Franciscan Monastery, Dubrovnik, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik-Neretva county, Croatia, Europe

Western Monastery, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, China, Asia

Christian ruins from 10th to 12th centuries, round tower of monastic gatehouse, Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow, Leinster, Republic of Ireland (Eire), Europe

Monastic gateway, round tower dating from 10th to 12th centuries, Glendalough, Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow, Leinster, Eire (Republic of Ireland), Europe

Votive Church, (Votivkirche), Interior view, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Bas-relief of life of Buddha, Borobudur, 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple, UNESCO, Java, Indonesia

One of Eighteen Arhats of Mahayana Buddhism await return of Buddha as Maitreya, Long Quang Pagoda, An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Buddhist monks at Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Santes Creus Cistercian Abbey, Aiguamurcia, Catalonia, Spain

Aerial drone panoramic view of the Alcobaca Monastery (Alcobasa Monastery), UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Catholic monastic complex, Alcobaca, central Portugal, Eurpe

Monastery of Alcobaca, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alcobaca, Oeste, Portugal, Europe

Cloister of Saint Andrew Gothic Church, Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy

Meteora, ancient holy Monastery of Rousanos Saint Barbara and Holy Trinity, UNESCO, Kalabaka, Greece

Meteora, ancient holy Monastery of Varlaam, UNESCO, Kalabaka, Greece

Abandoned monastic cave houses, Meteora, Thessaly, Greece, Europe

Meteora, ancient holy Monastery of Varlaam, UNESCO, Kalabaka, Greece

Fountain at Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Arequipa, Arequipa Province, Arequipa Region, Peru, South America

Ribat, monastic fortress viewed from the roof, Medina, Sousse, Tunisia, North Africa, Africa

The Round Tower, 27m tall, used as belfry to call monks to prayer and to summon travellers at Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

St. Mary's priory, Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

The Round Tower, 27m tall, used as belfry to call monks to prayer and to summon travellers at Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

St. Mary's priory, Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

The Round Tower, 27m tall, used as belfry to call monks to prayer and to summon travellers at Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

St. Mary's priory, Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Devenish, a monastic settlement with a history from the 6th to the 16th century, Devenish Island, Lough (lake) Erne, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Binham Priory in Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Monk in prayer hall at Wat Mai Buddhist Monastery, Luang Prabang, Laos

Monastic library, Tepla, Czech Republic

Monastic library, Tepla, Czech Republic

Dionysiu Monastery, Greek Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos (autonomous monastic state), Chalkidiki Peninsula, Greece

Ceiling frescoes in the largest monastic library (1766) in the world at Admont Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Liexen, Styria, Austria, Europe

Ceiling frescoes in the largest monastic library (1766) in the world at Admont Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Liexen, Styria, Austria, Europe

Library of the Strahov Monastery, Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic, Eastern Europe

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Monastery yard of the collegiate church pc. Pelargius monastery Denkendorf Baden Wuerttemberg Germany

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Interior, stalls, choir of the monastic church, Maulbronn Monastery, Cistercian Abbey, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kraichgau, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Ornate pillar in the Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Rheinau - towers from the monastic church - Kanton Zurich, Switzerland, Europe.

Monastic church of the barmherzigen Bruder in Graz

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Bebenhausener Pfleghof former monastic building, Tuebingen, Swabian Alb, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Buddha statues in the Wutai Shan monastic site, Mount Wutai, Unesco World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Schloss Ettersburg Castle with the monastic church near Weimar, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Classical Weimar, Thuringia, Germany, Europe

Clonmacnoise, Co. Offaly, Ireland

Rock Of Cashel, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

Ulster History Park, Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland

Dragon On A Cistercian Abbey Ceiling, Clare Island, County Mayo, Ireland

Devenish Monastic Site, Devenish Island, Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Ireland

Rock Of Cashel, Hore Abbey, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

Round Tower At Turlough, Co Mayo, Ireland

Monastic quarters at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Sanctuary, Malopolska, Poland

Ireland, County Offaly, Clonmacnoise Monastic Settlement, South Cross and Round Tower with River Shannon in the background.

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