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Gerardus Mercator writing in his 1595 atlas stated: Only two habitations in the extreme North, namely in Greenland, are known to us, Alba (11°W, 74°45'N) and St Thomas monastery (16°W 75°12'N).

17/8/26, 10:16 am0 reposts3 likes

Map Myths

@mapmyths.com

17 Aug

The monastery likely stems from a legendary miracle recounted in the 14th-century travelogue of Sir John Mandeville. The story is set in Tile (Thule) - the furthest isle of the world inhabited by men.

Map Myths

@mapmyths.com

17 Aug

When the Christian king of this isle fell sick and was on his deathbed, St. Thomas of Canterbury appeared to him in a vision, instructing the king to build a church dedicated to him. As soon as the first stone was laid, the king's illness lifted.

Map Myths

@mapmyths.com

17 Aug

The monastery was mentioned again in the narrative of a 14th-century voyage taken by the Zeno brothers, published in 1558. While on the search for new land, Nicolo Zeno discovered a church dedicated to Saint Thomas, '...hard by a hill which vomited fire like Vesuvius and Etna'.