Kylemore Abbey – Connemara, Ireland - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Kylemore Abbey

Connemara, Ireland

A stunning Victorian abbey and walled garden on a lakefront. 

View all photos
Kylemore Abbey on the lakefront. amelianotthepilot (Atlas Obscura User)
The walled Victorian garden
Kylemore abbey
Inside Kylemore Abbey, front view, September 2022.
Gothic chapel built in memory of Margaret Henry. hangingfire (Atlas Obscura User)
Shamrock carving detail from the Gothic chapel. hangingfire (Atlas Obscura User)
Tomb of Margaret Henry at Kylemore abbey
568
847
Top Places in Ireland
The vaults
St. Michan's Mummies
Dublin, Ireland
Oddities of Christ Church Cathedral
Dublin, Ireland
Rathgall Hillfort
County Wicklow, Ireland
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Kylemore Abbey with additional information or photos.

Formerly a school and a palatial private estate, Kylemore Abbey sits at the base of a steep hill with the mountain-backdropped Pollacappul Lake as its front yard. Down the road from it is the estate’s huge, beautiful Victorian walled garden. The dramatic landscape makes the abbey a magical place to drive by, and it’s also well worth stopping in for a visit.

The abbey was originally built in the 19th century as a residence by the Henry family. It was later sold to the Duke of Manchester, then to a banker, and then it became home to an order of Benedictine nuns who fled the Continent in World War I. In 1923, it became Kylemore Abbey School, and ran as such until 2010. Since then it’s been a tourist attraction and is used by the University of Notre Dame and the Connemara Maths Academy.

Atlas Obscura Trips

NEW - Discovering Ireland: Literature, Legend & Myth

Cozy pubs, dreamy landscapes, and friendly locals in Ireland.
Book Now
victorian monasteries lakes gardens water plants
Nearby
Landing Site of the First Transatlantic Flight
9.67 miles
Alpacas of Curraghduff Farms
20.58 miles
St. Mary's Church
27.68 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Landing site of the transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown, and adjacent memorial cairn.
Galway, Ireland

Landing Site of the First Transatlantic Flight

A strange egg in a mucky bog of western Ireland marks the spot of an aviation milestone.
Oughterard, Ireland

Alpacas of Curraghduff Farms

Fluffy and friendly alpacas nestled against the border of the beautiful Connemara region.
Ballinrobe, Ireland

St. Mary's Church

For fans of the stained glass art of Irish illustrator Harry Clarke, this church is the place to be.
The abandoned Village
Mayo, Ireland

Slievemore's deserted stone village

Achill's most recently abandoned village dates back to to the Age of Enlightenment.
Related Places
Peschiera Grande
Caserta, Italy

Peschiera Grande

Nobles would stage mock naval battles on this large lake at the Royal Palace of Caserta.
Floating gardens, Inle Lake.
Taunggyi, Myanmar (Burma)

Floating Gardens of Inle Lake

A series of tiny artificial islands rich with produce bob atop the surface of the lake.
The rose garden.
Panajachel, Guatemala

Atitlan Antique Rose Garden

A collection of heirloom roses tucked in a spectacularly beautiful botanical garden on Lake Atitlan.
Capella de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias.
São Miguel, Portugal

Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias

This fairy-tale, neo-Gothic church in the Azores is a world of magical realism.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web