This section deals with Iona Abbey, the religious foundation at the heart of the island. The abbey has been an active centre of Christian belief and practice for nearly 1,500 years, from Columba’s monastic establishment in AD 563 right up to the present day.
However, the abbey’s long spiritual life has not always been tranquil. Disruptions include Viking raids around 800, the Reformation of the Church in 1560 and a long period of neglect in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Discover the traces of one of the earliest and most influential Christian foundations in Scotland.
> Columba's monastery
The powerful medieval warlords of the west regarded Iona as their spiritual home and many of their carved grave-slabs have survived.
> Lords of the Isles
St Columba's Shrine was a focus for pilgrimage for centuries, bringing people and wealth to the abbey.
> Pilgrims
