Benedictine Monastery in Rajhrad
Discover the Benedictine Monastery in Rajhrad: A Treasure Trove of History and Literature! Nestled in the heart of Rajhrad, the Benedictine Monastery is home to the largest monastic library in Moravia, boasting over 65,000 books. This remarkable collection includes volumes that predate the monastery itself, which was founded by Břetislav I around 1048.
Among the library’s most prized possessions are manuscripts linked to Queen Eliška Rejčka, the second wife of King Wenceslas II and stepmother to the last Přemyslid, Wenceslas III. These manuscripts are celebrated as masterpieces of medieval literature. Visit the Benedictine Monastery in Rajhrad to immerse yourself in centuries of history and explore the rich literary heritage preserved within its ancient walls.
The Monastery in Rajhrad, near Brno, is one of Moravia’s oldest and most renowned monasteries, serving as a center of culture and education. Visitors can explore the Abbey Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the Memorial of Literature in Moravia, which features a permanent exhibition showcasing Moravian literature over the past ten centuries. The highlight is the restored historical library, one of the largest monastic libraries in the Czech Republic, containing 65,000 historical volumes. Additionally, the monastery boasts a functional sacristy in the east wing and a restored chapter hall with an adjoining exhibition room, both open to visitors. Plan your visit to the Monastery in Rajhrad and immerse yourself in a journey through history, culture, and literature.
What can you visit here?
Filmed about Rajhrad
Information from history
FROM THE HISTORY OF THE MONASTERY
In the heart of Rajhrad, where an Old Slavic settlement once stood, a Great Moravian settlement gradually emerged, likely featuring a small church. Today, the **monumental Baroque church of Saints Peter and Paul** majestically dominates the landscape of the present-day Monastery of Rajhrad.
Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad
The Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad is the oldest monastery in Moravia and one of the oldest Moravian religious institutions. According to legend, a Basilian monastery, founded by St. Cyril, should have existed here as early as the 10th century. In 1045, the Bohemian prince Břetislav I gave the Břevnov monastery an abandoned castle called Rajhrad and founded the monastery (cella) of Saints Peter and Paul there. Three years later, on 26 November 1048, the cella was transformed into a real monastery, which was subordinated to the Abbey of Brevnov. The monastery, founded on the site of a Greco-Moravian fortress perhaps as early as the 8th century, was plundered many times in the following centuries. In 1311, King John of Luxembourg and Duke Friedrich of Austria visited the monastery. During the Hussite storms, monks from many destroyed monasteries took refuge in Rajhrad.
The monastery retained its Romanesque appearance until the beginning of the 18th century, but the condition of the buildings was unsatisfactory. Therefore, the then provost Antonín Pirmus undertook a complete and generous reconstruction. In 1718, Pirmus, known as the second founder of the monastery, entrusted the design work to Jan Blažej Santini Aichl, who designed four quadrants surrounding the church of Saints Peter and Paul: a prelature, a convent and two farmyards. In 1722 the construction of the church began, the convent buildings were in use from 1755 and the whole complex was completed in 1840.
The importance of the monastery grew throughout the Middle Ages. In 1234, Margrave Premysl granted the monastery substantial freedoms. King John of Luxembourg granted the monastery’s superiors the right of throat in 1327 and Charles IV confirmed Břetislav’s privileges. From 1540 the abbots of Rajhrad sat in the Moravian Provincial Assembly. The right of pontificalia was granted to the provosts by Pope Inocent IX in 1687 and since then they were allowed to wear a mitre, cross, ring and scepter. The monks of Rajhrad achieved total independence in 1813, when the abbey was elevated to the status of an abbey by Emperor Francis I.
The Benedictine monastery of Rajhrad gradually became a renowned centre of learning. Already in the 14th century, the abbot John II and the monk Peter, who also drew beautiful initials, stood out in literature. Many manuscripts were left behind by Prior Leo (+1419), Prior Placentinus (+1638), Prior Celestin Arlet (+1683) and many others. The greatest growth of the monastery took place in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it became famous for its expanding library and for the scientific activities of Bonaventura Pitre – the confessor of Maria Theresa, Dr. Gregory Volny, Dr. Beda Dudik, Dr. Maurus Kinter and other educated Benedictines of Rajhrad.
The entire 20th century was almost devastating for the Benedictines, but the darkest period for the monastery came shortly after the communist takeover. On the night of 13-14 April 1950, all the male religious orders in the country were raided by the People’s Militia and StB units as part of “Action K”. The religious were interned and their property was forfeited to the state. Various units of the Czechoslovak People’s Army then took turns in the Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad.
In 1990, the devastated buildings were returned to the order, which, with the support of many institutions, funds and donors, is gradually reconstructing the entire complex. In 2005, the Memorial of Literature in Moravia was opened here, which manages the famous Benedictine library with 65,000 volumes of books. The monastery is coming back to life after a forty-year hiatus and thus continues the almost thousand-year history of the Benedictine community in Rajhrad.
Where to get tourist information?
Contacts
Where else to get guaranteed information than on the site of the Benedictine monastery.
Museum of Literature in Moravia
Klášter 1, 664 61 Rajhrad
tel. +420 544 544 280
e-mail: rajhrad@muzeumbrnenska.cz
web: rajhrad.muzeumbrnenska.cz
Benedictine Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul
Klášter 1, 664 61 Rajhrad
tel. +420 547 230 027
e-mail: benediktini@volny.cz
web: www.rajhrad.benediktini.cz
How to get to the monastery?
The monastery can be reached by road from the town of Rajhrad (approx. 1 km), with shuttle trains and buses from Brno (12 km).
Tips for accommodation?
- Klášter sester Těšitelek, Odbojářů 324, 664 61 Rajhrad
- Penzion Vinařství Hanuš, Měnínská 40, 664 56 Blučina
- Pension Palma, Masarykova 110, 66461 Rajhrad
- Hotel U Kašny, Městečko 54, 66461 Rajhrad
- Penzion Garden, Masarykova 229, 66461 Rajhrad
- Penzion Casiopea, Masarykova 149, 66461 Rajhrad
- Penzion Ajka, Masarykova 468, 66461 Rajhrad