The Met Cloisters: A Medieval Jewel Box in Manhattan

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the Middle Ages.

The Met Cloisters is the only American museum dedicated exclusively to medieval art and architecture. Constructed of limestone and granite from European ruins, the building’s facade merges Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements to evoke the austere, fortified impression of a medieval monastery. Cobblestone pathways and steps lead up to the building’s main entrance, which is set into a steep hillside. Conservationist/Shutterstock

Nestled in Fort Tryon Park in the northern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan, overlooking the Hudson River, is the Met Cloisters. This exquisite New York City museum houses medieval fine art, decorative art, and architectural fragments. Constructed from 1933 to 1938, its harmonious amalgamation of ecclesiastical medieval architecture with modern-built structures evokes an immersive atmosphere. Its galleries contain approximately 2,000 Western European artworks dating predominantly from the 12th through 15th centuries, including the famous Unicorn Tapestries.

Medieval monastic life centered around a cloister, a large open courtyard bordered by covered walkways and with access to all other buildings. The core of the Met Cloisters’ collection, from which the museum takes its name, consists of architectural elements from four French cloisters. These were the foundation for an Upper Manhattan museum founded by George Grey Barnard.