The cathedral ruins are the largest structure in the Glendalough monastic enclosure, with walls still standing to considerable height on the nave and chancel. The Romanesque doorway and chancel arch show the quality of craftsmanship that the monastery supported at its peak in the 10th through 12th centuries, when Glendalough was one of the most important centres of learning in Ireland.
The surrounding graveyard contains headstones dating from the medieval period to the recent past, some in the traditional Irish form with carved Celtic patterns. It's still an active burial ground, which adds a continuity to the site that purely archaeological ruins rarely have.