Wall charts, history and European Identity

The picture shows a medieval monastery complex. Works like field and forest work are depicted in the surrounding lands. Inside of the walls you can see some monks (with tonsures) also doing different kinds of work: caring for the fruit trees in spring, working in the vegetable and herb garden, caring of the sick (pastoral care), at the church service (praying), doing clerical work (clerical studies), in the forge, doing stone cutter art work on the church wall and furthermore in conversation with the young and the old. What is more, you can see a wanderer who has found shelter in the monastery. The medieval monasteries derive their importance especially since the 9th century when Charlemagne found many monastery and cathedral schools. Only with the growing importance of the cities and universities they lost their significant cultural position.