St Michael's Hill (Glastonbury Tor) description and photos - Great Britain: Glastonbury (Topic)

St Michael's Hill (Glastonbury Tor) description and photos - Great Britain: Glastonbury. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Glastonbury Tor.

Photo and description

St. Michael's Hill in Glastonbury has attracted the attention of people since time immemorial, and it has always been surrounded by legends, myths and beliefs. This is the only hill for many kilometers around. Its height is 145 meters, and the slopes of the hill are seven ledges of clearly artificial, man-made origin. Scientists, however, cannot give an unambiguous answer when and for what purpose these terraces were made.

The local name “tor” (tor) is of Celtic origin, and means “hill, rock”. The ancient Britons called the hill "Avalon Island" because the hill is surrounded by a river on three sides. Many believe that this is the very fabulous island of Avalon from the legends of King Arthur. The monks of the once existing Glastonbury Abbey argued that the ashes of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere lie here, and another legend says that it was here that Joseph of Arimathea brought the Holy Grail.

At the very top of the hill once stood the Church of St. Michael. In 1275 it was destroyed by an earthquake. The second church, built in 1360, existed until 1539, when King Henry VIII issued a decree to dissolve the monasteries. Now a dilapidated tower stands at the top of the hill.

At the foot of the hill is the sacred Well of the Chalice - a spring that does not dry out even in the most severe drought. Another legend says that the Holy Grail rests at its bottom, which is why the well is called the Chalice. However, the source was a sacred place long before the arrival of Christianity here, since ancient times wells were considered the gates to other worlds.

In our time, the number of legends surrounding Thor has not diminished, but, on the contrary, has grown. Researchers of the paranormal from all over the world strive here, modern pagans have chosen it as their place of worship. But even if you are far from such things, it is still worth climbing the trail to the top of the hill and overcoming the steep steps, because from the top there is a magnificent view of the surroundings.

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Topic: St Michael's Hill (Glastonbury Tor) description and photos - Great Britain: Glastonbury.