Ardboe High Cross facts for kids

The Ardboe High Cross (also known as Seanchrois Ard Bó in Irish) is a very old stone cross. It is a national monument found in Ardboe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

This tall cross stands at the entrance to a cemetery. Nearby, there was once a monastery and a church. Saint Colman founded the monastery around the year 590. Sadly, the monastery was destroyed by fire in the 1100s.

Experts believe the cross was built sometime between the 800s and 900s. The name "Ard Boe" means "hill of the cow." This name comes from an old legend. The legend says the monastery was built using milk from a magical cow that came out of Lough Neagh.

The Ardboe High Cross is about 18.5 feet (5.6 meters) tall. This makes it the tallest cross in Northern Ireland! Even though the top of the cross is a bit damaged, it is still mostly complete and original. It is the only cross like it in Northern Ireland that remains so well preserved.

What is the Ardboe High Cross?

The Ardboe High Cross is a special type of Christian monument. These crosses were common in Ireland and Britain during the early Middle Ages. They often have detailed carvings that tell stories from the Bible.

How Old is the Ardboe Cross?

Around 590 AD, a saint named Colman started a monastery at Ardboe. This monastery was built on a high spot overlooking Lough Neagh. The cross itself was likely put up a few centuries later, in the 800s or 900s. It is a lasting piece of history from that early monastery.

What Can You See on the Cross?

The Ardboe High Cross is about 18.5 feet (5.6 meters) high and 3.5 feet (1.1 meters) wide. It has 22 carved panels. These panels show different scenes from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

East Side Carvings

The east side of the cross mostly shows scenes from the Old Testament. You can see stories like:

• Adam and Eve
• The Sacrifice of Isaac (where Abraham almost sacrifices his son)
• Daniel in the lions' den
• The Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace

The top part of the east side shows scenes about Christ’s Second Coming and the Last Judgement.

South Side Carvings

The south side of the cross tells more stories, including:

• Cain murdering his brother Abel
• David (or possibly Samson) fighting a lion
• The famous fight between David and Goliath
• Desert Saints Paul and Anthony being fed by a raven

North Side Carvings

The north side of the cross shows events from the early life of Christ. At the very bottom, you can see a scene of his baptism.

West Side Carvings

The west side of the cross features scenes from the New Testament, such as:

• The Adoration of the Magi (the wise men visiting baby Jesus)
• The Miracle at Cana (Jesus turning water into wine)
• The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes (Jesus feeding many people)
• Christ’s entry into Jerusalem

The top part of the west side shows scenes from the Passion of Christ and the Crucifixion.

See also

In Spanish: Ardboe High Cross para niños