The premises of this former Cisterican monastery founded by King Přemysl Otakar II on a rocky promontory in the deep Vltava valley in 1263 is one of the best preserved Gothic monasteries in Bohemia. The unique Chapel of Guardian Angels, the chapter hall and the cloister passage are a leading testimony to the Cistercian building art in the early and high Gothic periods. The main guided tour leads visitors through the small and large convent and culminates in the convent Church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which is the largest church in Southern Bohemia. The tour illustrates the everyday activities of the order, the appearance of monastery libraries, workshops, and a common dining room (refectory). The second tour represents in a modern interactive way the development of literature in Southern Bohemia and the literary connections among Czech, German, and Latin education.
Attraction:
In 2013 the restored Gothic Abbot’s Chapel of St. Giles was made accessible to the public for the fi rst time in history, originally used by the principal of the monastery.