Saint Kevin’s Kitchen, better known as Saint Kevin at Glendalough, is a small and very unique chapel church that is located in the glacial valley of Glendalough, in the County of Wicklow, within the Republic of Ireland.
Definitely one of the most unusual features of the small church is the round tower, or the belfry, where it has a conical cap and it is integrated with the church. Sometimes it is believed that the bell tower was a chimney to a kitchen, due to its size and shape, thus Saint Kevin’s Kitchen, however, it has never been used as such.
Dedicated to the Irish saint who is known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough, the chapel is a great example of a builder’s desire to integrate a circular belltower within a rectangular church, creating this Irish treasure as a historic landmark of the eastern part of the country. Standing three floors high, the tower can be accessed from the upper croft chamber of the church roof.
The roof itself is a different and unique story, as it is constructed entirely from cordelled stone in a steep shape. Internally, the chapel is supported by a semi-circular vault, where a wooden upper floor can be seen with the access to the roof chamber.
There are no certain sources which would claim whether there was only a nave built when it was constructed in 12 century, but nowadays we are able to see the rectangular church that is surrounded by a stone wall marking the church’s grounds, with another smaller object right next to it.
Surrounded with the stupendous Irish nature, Saint Kevin’s Kitchen is attracting visitors who would like to gaze at the unusual stone formation that was carved out by magnificent Irish builders.
