The Benedictine monastery in Kladruby was founded in the 11th century by King Władysław I. It consists of a Gothic-Baroque church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and monastery buildings. The entire complex is open to the public. In addition to the church, you can see an exhibition dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, a refectory and the library of the Windischgrätz family.
In the Middle Ages, the monastery belonged to the most powerful in the Czech Republic. He was also a bone of contention between successive kings and bishops of Prague because of the enormous income he brought. One of these disputes led to the murder of John of Nepomuk, although the official reason for the murder was a refusal to disclose the secret of confession. The flourishing of the monastery was marked by the Hussite wars. It was not rebuilt until the mid-17th century under the direction of Jan Błażej Santini.
It is to this reconstruction that the monastery owes its present appearance. A three-nave Gothic basilica with a transept was added to the dome located above the intersection. The buildings also received baroque facades. The interior of the church is decorated with carved and gilded altars. You can also visit the monastery cloisters with sculptures by Matthias Bernard Braun, the cells of the monks and the library with nearly 30,000 volumes. It belonged to the Windischgrätz family, who owned the monastery until World War II.
Attractions inside
