Baltinglass Abbey, Cistercian monastery in Baltinglass, Ireland

Baltinglass Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery whose surviving 12th-century church, about 56 m long, has a nave with aisles, a chancel, a square presbytery with a three-light window and transepts with small projecting chapels. A 12th-century doorway links the south aisle to the choir, part of the cloister has been rebuilt, and the east windows and tower date from the 19th century.

Founded in 1148 by Dermot MacMurrough, king of Leinster, the monastery served as an important religious center for the region. It operated for roughly 400 years until closure came during the 1536 Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The stone carvings on the capitals display intricate patterns featuring humans and animals, showing the artistic skill of Irish craftspeople from the 1100s. These details scattered throughout the ruins reveal the creative traditions of the period.

The ruins stand in the open on the north edge of Baltinglass, where the River Slaney leaves its valley for the plain; the church is entered from the west end and the cloister lies to its south. The ground is uneven grass and stone, so sturdy shoes help. A Church of Ireland church was built inside the abbey in 1815 and closed in 1883.

A glazed tile unearthed at the abbey in 1941 may depict Saint George and the Dragon. At the time of its discovery it was the only tile ever found in Ireland with a human figure painted on it.