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| A Medieval portal |
The Middle Ages, or Medieval Period, was a European period in history that began from the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the Rennaisance Period (13th-15th century). This period became known for its art and architecture, particularly ecclesiastical structures like grand cathedrals and monasteries.
The Met Cloisters has curated some of the grandest Medieval architecture, exquisite gardens, and original art forms. No other museum in the U.S. has combined these aspects of Medieval cultures. Here are our favorites.
The cloisters and gardens
A cloister is a covered corridor with a wall on one side and an open quadrangle, garden, or courtyard on the other. This type of architecture was common in Medieval monasteries, convents, or cathedrals. There are four cloisters in the Met Cloisters, three with idyllic gardens in the middle.
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| The Bonnefont Cloister |
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| Behind us is the herb garden at the Bonnefont Cloister. The collection of herb species planted in the garden was based on Medieval herbals, monastic records, and archeological evidence. |
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| The Saint-Guilhem Cloister reconstructed with more than 140 fragments from the Benedictine abbey of St-Guilhem-le-Desert, France |
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| There is no garden in the quadrangle of the Saint-Guilhem Cloister, but the limited sunlight provided by the skylight in the cloister creates a Medieval monastery or convent feel as seen in pictures or films. |
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The Cuxa Cloister
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| The garth (yard) in the Cuxa Cloister has a middle fountain that divides the garden into a quadrant, a typical design during the Middle Ages. The garden has an apple tree, herbs, grass, and fragrant flowers. |
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| The Trie Cloister and garden. The plan of the garden is to replicate an untamed Medieval flowering meadow. |
The chapels and rooms
A typical Medieval chapel is adorned with stained glass windows. This design is an artistic invention by Medieval artisans to fill the interiors of chapels and buildings with colors created by the sunlight spilling through stained window glasses. Here are some examples.
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| Two of the five stained window panels at the Gothic Chapel. |
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| The Fuentidueña Chapel |
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| The Langon Chapel with the three stained glass panels at the altar. |
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| The five stained glass panels on the right in the Boppard Room |
The tapestries
The tapestries are some of the most treasured artifacts at the Cloisters. They have the Nine Heroes Tapestry Room and the more popular Unicorn Tapestries. The Unicorn Tapestry Room has seven individual luxurious and intricate tapestries depicting the hunt for the magical and difficult-to-catch unicorn. However, art experts doubt whether the tapestries are connected to tell the story of hunting the unicorn because the two tapestries have different styles from the rest. Experts believed there could be two or three artists who made them. Nevertheless, they are treasures because they were woven with fine wool, silk silver, and thinly coated with gold.
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| The world-famous 15th-century tapestry, The Unicorn Rests in a Garden, at Gallery 17. |
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| Two tapestries from the Nine Heroes of Middle Ages ensemble. Five tapestries survived from the original group: David and Joshua (Hebrew Scripture), Hector and Julius Caesar (Graeco-Roman tradition), and Arthur, king of England. |
There are other Medieval artifacts and treasures that you can see at The Cloisters, such as crosses, religious busts, statues, metalware, and wood carvings. These objects will make you imagine how people lived during the Middle Ages and appreciate their artistic abilities. If you want to see Medieval arts and architecture in a quiet and serene environment, we recommend The Met Cloisters.
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