Project of medieval monasteries. Rock Monasteries of Southeast Europe

The medieval monasteries of Europe are one of the most visited places by tourists. They used to be real centers public life, because they combined culture, religion, administration, education and even the judiciary. The desperate and the homeless could find shelter here, and for many children from poor families, upbringing and life in the monastery meant an increase in social status.

Despite the fact that in modern world most of the original functions of these spiritual places have been lost, they do not cease to arouse keen interest.

Firstly, they are progressive architectural examples of the Middle Ages, and secondly, they are examples of closed complexes that served themselves through the work performed by monks, kept animals and cultivated crops. In fact, these were examples of "states within a state" with a special life and history. Often the monasteries of Europe became the pulsars of historical events, where tragic or great events took place. Many of them are shrouded in mystery and even mystical stories still exciting and amazing people's imagination.

In the heart of Europe is located not only one of the oldest, but also one of the most valuable in the historical sense, the monastery of St. Gall. It is located in the eastern part of Switzerland in the small administrative center of St. Gallen. The town is one of the highest mountains in Switzerland, but it is not this that makes it popular and famous, but the fact that it was in it that the center of European education, St. Gallen Abbey, was built in the Middle Ages.

The oldest monastery was founded in 613 by a lonely hermit named Gallus. The first who decided to pay great attention to the cultural development within these walls was the abbot Otmar, who invited masters from different parts of Europe to organize a local art school. A mixture of different trends and genres made it possible to create unique paintings and icons, which are the pearls of medieval artistic culture.

The successor of this tradition was the abbot Waldo, who in the 8th century collected one of the richest libraries in Europe within the walls of the abbey. In addition, there was a strong singing school, within the walls of which virtuoso songs were performed in the Gregorian style. In the 10th century, famous poets and musicians of our time worked here, and a little later, the ancestor and founder of German literary literature Notker Gubasty worked here.

Until the 18th century, St. Gallen was as influential a monastery in Europe as a cathedral Notre Dame of Paris in the Middle Ages, but later the significance of the monastery weakened. In the second half of the 18th century, the oldest buildings were demolished, and new temples were erected in their place, embodying the architectural style of the Baroque, which is still capable of surprising tourists and pilgrims from all over the world.

In 1983, UNESCO added Saint Gall to the list world heritage. Within the walls of the main attraction of the city, the oldest library is stored, numbering 160 thousand ancient books, 50 thousand of which are available for everyone to familiarize themselves with.

Anyone who was lucky enough to visit the Austrian city of Admont, located on the Enns River, will never be able to forget a beautiful picture: the oldest monastery buildings of the Middle Ages, reflected in the water surface of the river.

The picturesque Admont owes its appearance to the Archbishop of Salzburg, who initiated its construction in 1704. Active educational work was carried out here, the monks were especially progressive in the natural sciences and in the description of historical facts. A modern school for girls was built next to the monastery grounds, where the best of the monks taught.

The peak of prosperity came in the Middle Ages, during the ministry of Abbot Engelbert. He was a scientist ahead of his time, from whose pen came many significant scientific works. It was at this time that the library began to function in the monastery, which to this day is the largest monastic library not only in Europe, but throughout the world. The collection of books is so magnificent that queues of visitors line up here daily. More than 70 thousand people visit the library every year. Here you can see 70 thousand handwritten texts and engravings, and among 200 thousand books there is a huge number of the oldest copies created before the 13th century.

The hall where the library is located is a huge bright room in which neo-Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque elements are intricately mixed. In addition, there are museums of natural history and art history on the territory, and music festivals often take place in the exhibition hall. A special department exhibits paintings for the blind. One can only imagine how unique the exhibitions would have been if the monastery buildings had not been damaged by fire in 1865.

Some of the treasures of the oldest collection were sold during the crisis of the 30s of the XX century, which became very difficult for the life of the monks. There were years when the activity of the monastery was stopped by the National Socialist government, but since 1946 spiritual activity has resumed, and since then it has not been suspended.

Monte Cassino

Monastery created by Benedict of Nursia on the site former temple Apollo, is considered a landmark not only for Italy, but also for the history of all medieval Europe. Its fate is full of bitter pages, as it has been repeatedly destroyed. For this reason, only a small part of the oldest grandeur and beauty observed by the monks and pilgrims of the Middle Ages has been preserved here. Nevertheless, the flow of guests to this monastery, located at a distance of 120 km from Rome, does not stop in any season.

After the construction of Montecassino in 529, the Benedictine order arose on its territory. But after 33 years, the buildings were destroyed by the Longobards. It took a century and a half to restore, but after another 170 years it was ravaged by the Saracens. Montecassino was rebuilt by Pope Agapit II, who understood its importance in the life of all of Italy. Military attacks also occurred during Napoleon's offensive in 1799.

The next and greatest destruction occurred already during the Second World War in February 1944. Then there was a suspicion that high-ranking fascist military leaders were on the territory of the monastery, so the territory was bombed. Only a few elements could survive from the buildings, but the main values ​​​​of the collections, fortunately, managed to be evacuated before the start of the bombardment, so they remained unharmed. During air attacks within the walls of Monte Cassino, hundreds of civilians who took refuge in these walls during wartime died.

By personal order of the Pope, the Benedictine patrimony was restored in the seventies, after which thousands of pilgrims flocked here to see the castle of the Middle Ages. Guests can admire the courtyard, temples, vineyards and listen to stories from medieval life.

In Catholic culture, Saint Maurice is often referred to as the place where heaven opens to people. This is the oldest abbey in Western Europe, located in Italy, survived the Middle Ages and survived to this day. Over the past 15 centuries, spiritual life has not stopped here for a single day, and Divine services have been held at regular intervals.

Saint Maurice was founded in 515 on the site of the grave of St. Maurice, after whom the abbey got its name. The protection of the chosen saint was so strong that the monastic life did not stop for a minute, there were no disbandments and significant destruction. From mouth to mouth by many generations of monks since the Middle Ages, the legend has been transmitted that during the next Divine service within the walls of one of the temples, Saint Martin appeared to those praying here, who also patronizes this place, like Mauritius.

A local feature was that the servants of the monastery were always jokers and people of subtle irony. You can be convinced of this even now, having arrived in Saint-Maurice. In many ways, it was this that contributed to the fact that the monastery survived for many centuries, without becoming a victim of wars, changes in political forces and other ups and downs. The monks believe that the reason for this is a good location: Saint Maurice "snuggles" against the rock, like a child clinging to its mother. The greatest danger, however, during the entire existence of the oldest monastery in Western Europe came from this rock, from which fragments broke off seven times, destroying the church located under it. The last time this happened in the middle of the 20th century, when a huge stone fell on the bell tower, leaving only ruins from it.

Many times Saint Maurice was plundered by forest robbers and devastated by devastating fires. It happened that the monastery was flooded by mountain streams, but the monks steadfastly accepted all the troubles, without stopping their service. In 2015, the Great 1500th Anniversary, organized with the participation of UNESCO, was celebrated here.

The real pearl of Christianity is located on an island off the coast of Normandy in northwestern France. The castle of amazing beauty with high towers reaching into the sky and reflected in the sea water is an unforgettable picture that more than 4 million tourists from all over the world aspire to see every year.

Mont-Saint-Michel is translated from French as "Mountain of St. Michael the Archangel". The unique location contributes to the fact that it is possible to get to it by land route only at times of significant low tides, and the tides cut it off from the mainland, leaving the thinnest isthmus, which not everyone dares to step on. This forces tourists to be extremely cautious: even Victor Hugo wrote that the speed of the tide of water is equal to the speed of a horse galloping. For this reason, a huge number of tourists could not overcome this path, drowning in the bay.

The history of the emergence of the oldest monastery is connected with a beautiful legend: in 708 Archangel Michael appeared in a dream to the Bishop of Avranches Saint Auber with a decree to start building a monastery of monks on the island. Upon waking, the bishop thought that he might have misunderstood the vision. After the second such dream, he continued to doubt, so Avranches dreamed of the Archangel for the third time, leaving a burn on his head. Immediately after this, the bishop decided to initiate construction.

In the 10th century, the number of pilgrims became so great that a small city was built for them at the foot of the monastery, and the abundance of donations made it possible to collect the necessary amount to erect a huge temple on top of the mountain. Several hundred regular monks lived on the territory of Mont Saint-Michel by the beginning of the 13th century. But gradually the importance of the abbey weakened, and by 1791 the monastic life here ended, giving way to a prison that lasted until the end of the French Revolution. Since 1873, a large-scale reconstruction has begun, during which Mont Saint-Michel has a modern appearance. To many, it resembles the castle from the Disney film company screensaver, which for many years personifies the beauty of the castles of the Middle Ages.

In France, there is one of the most beautiful ancient monasteries - Lérins Abbey. It is located at a distance of three kilometers from Cannes, so most tourists visiting Cannes rush here to touch the history of the Middle Ages.

The Lerins monastery was founded in 410, after a hermit monk settled here in search of solitude. The disciples did not want to leave their spiritual father, so they followed him and settled Lerins Abbey on a desert island. By the 8th century, this place became the most influential region of France and Europe, it owned many possessions, not excluding the villages of Cannes.

Lacking worthy protection, this place became a tasty and easy prey for the Saracens, who plundered the treasury and killed all the monks. Only one of the former inhabitants of the monastery survived - the monk Elenter, who built a new temple on the ruins. After that, the buildings were repeatedly destroyed, but the perseverance of the monks overcame all the troubles. After the French Revolution, the island was sold to a famous actress, where the Gostiny Dvor was located for 20 years. Only in 1859 was Bishop Fréjus able to buy it in order to revive the holy place.

Now 25 monks live on the territory of the monastery, who, in addition to spiritual service, are engaged in growing grapes and in the hotel business.

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Authors: Egorova Ksenia, Zgerya Inessa Head: Zagrebina Svetlana Nikolaevna research History Topic: Medieval Monastery 

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Introduction Main part 1.1. The first monasteries in Europe 1.2. Monastery of St. Gallen 1.3. Work on the layout of a medieval monastery Conclusion Contents 

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The purpose of the project: To create a model of a medieval monastery. Project objectives: 1. Study the time of the appearance of the first monasteries in Europe 2. Consider the features of medieval monasteries 3. Make a model of the monastery of St. Gallen Stages of work on the project: 1) Studying the literature on the topic 2) Selection of illustrative material 3) Search for information about the surviving medieval monasteries 4)Creating a layout plan for the monastery 5)Working on creating a layout 6)Working on creating a presentation 7)Preparing for project defense Introduction

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Bethlehem is a holy city for Christians, the second most important after Jerusalem, because here, according to the Gospel (Luke 2:4-7, Matt. 2:1-11), Jesus Christ was born. From the first centuries of Christianity to the present day, millions of pilgrims have been sent to this holy land. At the end of the fourth century, a follower of the blessed Jerome of Stridon arrived here - a rich and noble Roman matron Paul. Gathering a fairly large community of women around her, she opened on this day in the 395th year in Bethlehem the first convent. Pavla became its abbess, and subsequently organized two more convents. Bethlehem (nunnery)

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Montecassino The Benedictine monastery of Montecassino rises on a high hill above the highway 120 km from Rome. This is one of ancient monasteries Europe, but fate was merciless to him, what we see now refers to the XX century. You should not go here to feel the spirit of antiquity or the special atmosphere of the old monasteries, this is not left in Montecassino, but from a historical point of view, the monastery is of interest. Montecassino was founded in 529 by St. Benedict of Nursia, on the site where the pagan temple of Apollo was located. The abbey was the birthplace of the Benedictine order.

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Lerins Abbey Lerins Abbey. The monastery, located on the island of Saint Honorat, off the coast of Cannes, is the most striking attraction of this city. It is believed that this is one of the oldest Gallic buildings of this kind, because it was founded around 410. Now the complex belongs to the Cistercians. The monastery has a regular ferry service to the coast of Cannes, so getting to it is not difficult: you just need to visit the old port. Saint Honorat, the founder of Lerins Abbey, wanted to build a temple that would become the residence of the brethren. By the 8th century, the complex already had a huge impact in Europe, and at that time more than 500 monks lived here, who were distinguished by asceticism. Many of them later became bishops or founded new monasteries. A fort was built next to the abbey in the 11th century, in which there was a refectory, a chapel and a library. Chapels are located around the monastery, six of which have survived to this day, and only ruins remained of one. The main building was erected over 1000 years ago, but after the monastery was closed in the 18th century, it was destroyed, and the relics of the founder were transferred to Grasse Cathedral. The monastic monastery was revived here only a century and a half ago, thanks to the efforts of the Cistercian order, who restored many buildings, though not in the original style, but in Romanesque, so that the appearance of the monastery has changed completely.

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The monastery of St. Gall - a monastery located in the center of the city of St. Gallen, was once one of the largest Benedictine monasteries in Europe. The monastery of St. Gallus was founded in 613 by the hermit monk Gallus. The monastery gradually turned into an early territorial principality. An important element of the territorial reorganization carried out by the monastery was the unification of the rules. In 1468, all existing customs and orders were collected and recorded on paper. From now on, all loyal subjects of the land were to obey the established order. Unlike other members of the Swiss Union, the monastery continued to be directly subordinate to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. In 1525, the Reformation came to the monastery, and two years later the monastery of St. Gallen was dissolved, but by 1532 it was reopened. Thirty years later, all subjects of the lands of the monastery converted back to the Catholic faith, and by the end of the 16th century the monastery again turned into a modern centralized territorial principality. St. Gallen (St. Gall)

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The last heyday of the monastery survived in the 18th century - this is primarily evidenced by the extensive construction work in the period from 1755 to 1767. The monastery was rebuilt in the Baroque style under the direction of the architects Pieter Tumba and Johann Beer. After the French Revolution of 1789, the ascribed monastic lands demanded that they be granted freedoms and rights, and with the detachment of Toggenburg, the political dominance of the monastery came to an end. In 1803, the new canton of St. Gallen was formed, and two years later the monastery was finally dissolved. The former monastery church of St. Gall is today cathedral church bishopric of Gallic. The church is included in the lists of cultural heritage of UNESCO. The baroque building was erected in the 18th century (1755) on the site of an older religious building of the 9th century. It is considered one of the last monumental places of worship late baroque era. The cathedral is divided by a rotunda into the western (nave) and eastern (choir) parts.

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The church owes its artistic and sculptural decoration in the Rococo and Classicist styles to South German craftsmen. The frescoes were done by the brothers Johann and Matthias Giegl, the bas-reliefs by Christian Wenzinger and the paintings by Josef Wannenmacher. Two rows of wooden benches in the choir are decorated with carvings depicting scenes from the life of St. Benedict. The towers of the eastern facade are 68 meters high. The relief on the pediment depicts the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, under it are statues of Saints Desiderius and Mauritius.

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The monastic library is located in the western wing of the monastery. The library building was created under the guidance of the architect Peter Tumba in 1758-1767. Currently, the library has about 150,000 volumes, including about 2,000 manuscripts (four hundred of them are over a thousand years old). For example, the library holds a Latin-German dictionary from 790, the oldest book in German. Also in the western wing is a lapidarium, which displays fragments of the Carolingian cathedral of 830 - 837, found during archaeological excavations, as well as a collection of paintings on wooden panels. Today, the bishop's residence is located in the western part of the court wing.

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From a historical and cultural point of view, the personal chapel of the bishop, the main hall, and the chapel of St. Gall are of the greatest value here. The cantonal court sits today in the north wing. The wing was erected in the 19th century and was used for various purposes - from an arsenal to a fire station. In the eastern part of the former monastery there is the Karlstor gate, built in 1570. They are named after Archbishop Charles Borromeo and are the only outer gates of the city that have survived to this day. front building on east side The monastery square is called the New Palace (Neue Pfalz). After the dissolution of the monastery, this former residence of the abbot of the monastery became the seat of the Sejm of the newly formed canton of St. Gallen.

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1 - main church; 2 - library and scriptorium; 3 - sacristy; 4 - towers; 5 - patio; b - hall of the chapter (a place of assembly of monks); 7 - a common bedroom of monks and a bath; 8 - refectory; 9 - kitchen; 10 - pantry with a cellar; 11 - room for pilgrims; 12 - outbuildings; 13 - house for guests; 14 - school; 15 - abbot's house; 16 - doctor's house; 17 - a place for growing medicinal herbs; 18 - hospital and premises for novices with a separate church; 19 - a garden with a cemetery and a vegetable garden; 20 - goose house and chicken coop; 21 barns; 22 - workshops; 23 - bakery and brewery; 24 - mill, threshing machine, dryer; 25 - barns and stables; 26 - house for servants.

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Story

The abbot of the monastery of St. Gall was also a politician: he refused to obey the Swiss Union and, despite the fact that the building was officially part of it, maintained close ties and fulfilled all the requirements of the Roman Empire. However, this state of affairs did not last long: the Reformation passed a law in 1525 providing for the dissolution of the monastery. A little more than thirty years, the monastery of St. Gall experienced difficult times, but already at the end of the 16th century, the building, once built on the site of a monastic cell, becomes ... the center of the principality! From the 16th to the 18th century, the monastery of St. Gall, using its influence, is constantly enriched. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the abbot decides to rebuild the monastery. It was supposed to have a facade and interior decoration that fully met the fashion of that era. Designing the monastery in the popular baroque style was entrusted to two architects: Johann Beer and Peter Toumba. These were the last years of the heyday of the monastery of St. Gall: in France in 1789, a revolution took place that shook the whole of Europe. They take away all the lands belonging to it and completely deprive them of power. After the emergence of the Swiss canton of St. Gallen with the capital of the same name, the monastery is dissolved, its former splendor, grandeur and influence remain in the past.

Joseph Anton von Koch (1768-1839) "The Monastery of San Francesco di Civitella in the Sabine Mountains". Italy, 1812
Wood, oil. 34 x 46 cm.
State Hermitage. The building of the General Staff. Room 352.

Sounds of time

The fine tuning of monastic life would not have been possible without a multitude of sound signals, primarily the ringing of large and small bells. They called the monks to the services of the hours and to mass, informed them that it was time to go to the refectory, and regulated physical labor.

Guillaume Durant, Bishop of Menda, in the 13th century distinguished six types of bells: squilla in the refectory, cimballum in the cloister, nola in church choirs, nolula or dupla in the clock, campana in the bell tower, signum in the tower.

Miniature from the manuscript "Hausbuch der Mendelschen Zwölfbrüderstiftung". Germany, around 1425. Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg

Depending on the tasks, the bells were rung in different ways. For example, when calling monks to the service of the first hour and to Compline, they struck once, and to the services of the third, sixth and ninth hours - three times. In addition, a wooden board (tabula) was used in the monasteries - for example, they beat it to announce to the brethren that one of the monks was dying.

Schedule

Different abbeys had their own daily routine - depending on the day of the week, simple or holidays, etc. For example, in Cluny during the spring equinox, closer to Easter, the schedule could look like this (all references to astronomical hours are approximate):

Near 00:30 First awakening; the monks gather for the vigil.
02:30 The brethren go back to sleep.
04:00 Matins.
04:30 They fall asleep again.
05:45-06:00 They rise again at dawn.
06:30 First canonical hour; after him, the monks from the church go to the chapter hall (readings from the charter or the Gospel; discussion of administrative issues; accusatory chapter: the monks confess their own violations and blame other brothers for them).
07:30 Morning mass.
08:15-09:00 Individual prayers.
09:00-10:30 Service of the third hour, followed by the main mass.
10:45-11:30 Physical work.
11:30 Sixth hour service.
12:00 Meal.
12:45-13:45 Afternoon rest.
14:00-14:30 Ninth hour service.
14:30-16:15 Work in the garden or in the scriptorium.
16:30-17:15 Vespers.
17:30-17:50 Light dinner (except fasting days).
18:00 Compline.
18:45 The brethren go to sleep.

IV. Monastery architecture

Benedict of Nursia, in his charter, prescribed that the monastery should be built as a closed and isolated space, allowing you to isolate yourself from the world and its temptations as much as possible:

“The monastery, if this is possible, should be arranged in such a way that everything necessary, that is, water, a mill, a fish tank, a vegetable garden and various crafts, are inside the monastery, so that there is no need for monks to go outside the walls, which does not at all serve the benefit of souls. their".

If the architecture of the Romanesque and especially the Gothic temple, with their high windows and vaults directed to heaven, was often likened to a prayer in stone, then the layout of the monastery, with its premises intended only for monks, novices and converse, can be called a discipline embodied in the walls. and galleries. A monastery is a closed world where dozens, and sometimes hundreds of men or women, must go together to salvation. This is a sacred space (the church was likened to Heavenly Jerusalem, the cloister was likened to the Garden of Eden, etc.) and at the same time a complex economic mechanism with barns, kitchens and workshops.

Of course, medieval abbeys were not built according to the same plan at all and were completely different from each other. An early medieval Irish monastery, where a dozen hermit brothers who practiced extreme asceticism lived in tiny stone cells, can hardly be compared with the huge abbey of Cluny in its heyday. There were several cloister courtyards (for monks, novices and the sick), separate chambers for the abbot and a giant basilica - the so-called. church of Cluny III (1088-1130), which until the construction of the current St. Peter's Basilica in Rome (1506-1626) was the most big temple Catholic world. The monasteries of the mendicant orders (primarily the Franciscans and Dominicans, which were usually built in the middle of the cities where the brothers went to preach) are not at all like the Benedictine cloisters. The latter were often erected in forests or on mountain cliffs, like Mont Saint-Michel on a rocky islet off the coast of Normandy or Sacra di San Michele in Piedmont (this abbey became the prototype of the Alpine monastery described in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose).

The architecture of the monastery churches and the organization of the entire abbey, of course, depended on local traditions, available building materials, the size of the brethren and their financial capabilities. However, it was also important how open the monastery was to the world. For example, if a monastery, thanks to the relics or miraculous images stored there, attracted a lot of pilgrims (like the Abbey of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France), it was necessary to equip the infrastructure for their reception: for example, to expand and rebuild the temple so that pilgrims could access the desired shrines and did not pass each other, to build hospitable houses.

The oldest and most famous of the medieval monastic plans was drawn up in the first half of the ninth century in the German abbey of Reichenau for Gosbert, abbot of St. Gallen (in modern Switzerland). Five sheets of parchment (with a total size of 112 × 77.5 cm) depict not a real, but an ideal monastery. This is a huge complex with dozens of buildings and 333 inscriptions that indicate the names and purpose of various buildings: churches, scriptorium, dormitory, refectory, kitchens, bakery, brewery, abbot's residence, hospital, houses for guest monks, etc.

We will choose a simpler plan, which shows how a typical Cistercian monastery, similar to the abbey of Fontenay, founded in Burgundy in 1118, could be arranged in the 12th century. Since the structure of the Cistercian abbeys largely followed older models, this plan has much to say about life in the monasteries and other Benedictine "families".

Model monastery


1. Church
2. Cloister
3. Washbasin
4. Sacristy
5. Library
6. Chapter Hall
7. Room for conversations
8. Bedroom
9. Warm room
10. Refectory
11. Kitchen
12. Refectory for converse
13. Entrance to the monastery
14. Hospital
15. Other buildings
16. Large pantry
17. Converse corridor
18. Cemetery

1. Church


Unlike the Cluniacs, the Cistercians strove for maximum simplicity and asceticism of forms. They abandoned the crowns of chapels in favor of a flat apse and almost completely expelled figurative decor from the interiors (statues of saints, stained-glass windows, scenes carved on capitals). In their churches, which were supposed to conform to the ideal of severe asceticism, geometry triumphed.

Like the vast majority of Catholic churches of that time, the Cistercian churches were built in the form of a Latin cross (where the elongated nave was crossed at right angles by a transept), and their interior space was divided into several important zones.

At the eastern end was the presbytery (A), where the main altar stood, on which the priest celebrated Mass, and nearby in the chapels arranged in the arms of the transept, additional altars were placed.

Gateway arranged on the north side of the transept (B), usually led to the monastery cemetery (18) . From the south side, which adjoined other monastic buildings, it was possible to (C) go up to the monastery bedroom - dormitory (8) , and next to it was a door (D) through which the monks entered and exited the cloister (2) .

Further, at the intersection of the nave with the transept, there were choirs (E). There the monks gathered for the services of the hours and for masses. In the choirs, opposite each other, there were two rows of benches or chairs (English stalls, French stalles) in parallel. In the late Middle Ages, reclining seats were most often made in them, so that monks during tedious services could either sit or stand, leaning on small consoles - misericords (remember the French word misericorde - "compassion", "mercy" - such shelves, indeed, were a mercy to the weary or infirm brothers).

Benches were placed behind the choir. (F) where, during the service, the sick brothers, temporarily separated from the healthy ones, as well as novices, were located. Next came the partition (English rood screen, French jubé), on which a large crucifix was installed (G). In parish churches, cathedrals and monastery churches, where pilgrims were admitted, it separated the choir and presbytery, where worship was held and the clergy were located, from the nave, where the laity had access. The laity could not go beyond this border and in fact did not see the priest, who, in addition, stood with his back to them. In modern times, most of these partitions were demolished, so when we enter some medieval temple, one must imagine that before its space was not at all uniform and accessible to everyone.

In Cistercian churches in the nave there could be a choir for converse (H) worldly brothers. From their cloister they entered the temple through a special entrance (I). It was located near the western portal (J) through which the laity could enter the church.

2. Cloister

A quadrangular (more rarely, polygonal or even round) gallery, which adjoined the church from the south and connected the main monastic buildings together. A garden was often laid out in the center. In the monastic tradition, the cloister was likened to Eden surrounded by a wall, Noah's Ark, where the family of the righteous was saved from the waters sent to sinners as punishment, Solomon's temple or Heavenly Jerusalem. The name of the galleries comes from the Latin claustrum - "enclosed, enclosed space." Therefore, in the Middle Ages, both the central courtyard and the entire monastery could be called that.

The cloister served as the center of monastic life: along its galleries, the monks moved from the bedroom to the church, from the church to the refectory, and from the refectory, for example, to the scriptorium. There was a well and a place for washing - lavatorium (3) .

Solemn processions were also held in the cloister: for example, in Cluny every Sunday between the third hour and the main mass, the brothers, led by one of the priests, marched through the monastery, sprinkling all the rooms with holy water.

In many Benedictine monasteries, such as the abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos (Spain) or Saint-Pierre-de-Moissac (France), many scenes from the Bible, lives of saints, allegorical images (as a confrontation between vices and virtues), as well as frightening figures of demons and various monsters, animals intertwined with each other, etc. The Cistercians, who sought to get away from excessive luxury and any images that could distract the monks from prayer and contemplation, expelled such decor from their monasteries.

3. Washbasin

IN Clean Thursday on Holy Week- in memory of how Christ washed the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper (John 13:5-11) - the monks, led by the abbot, there humbly washed and kissed the feet of the poor, who were brought to the monastery.

In the gallery that adjoined the church, every day before Compline, the brethren gathered to listen to the reading of some pious text - collatio. This name arose from the fact that Saint Benedict recommended for this "Conversations" ("Collationes") of John Cassian (about 360 - about 435) - an ascetic who was one of the first to transfer the principles of monastic life from Egypt to the West. Then the word collatio began to be called a snack or a glass of wine, which on fast days was given to the monks at this evening hour (hence the French word collation - “snack”, “light dinner”).

4. Sacristy

The room in which liturgical vessels, liturgical vestments and books were kept under the castle (if the monastery did not have a special treasury, then relics), as well as key documents: historical chronicles and collections of charters, which listed purchases, gifts and other acts on which the material well-being of the monastery depended.

5. Library

There was a library next to the sacristy. In small communities, it looked more like a small closet with books, in huge abbeys it looked like a majestic vault in which the characters of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose are looking for the forbidden volume of Aristotle.

What the monks read at different times and in different parts of Europe, we can imagine thanks to the inventories of medieval monastic libraries. These are lists of the Bible or individual biblical books, commentaries on them, liturgical manuscripts, writings of the Church Fathers and authoritative theologians (Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo, Jerome of Stridon, Gregory the Great, Isidore of Seville, etc.), lives of saints, collections of miracles, historical chronicles, treatises on canon law, geography, astronomy, medicine, botany, Latin grammars, the works of ancient Greek and Roman authors ... It is well known that many ancient texts have survived to this day only because they, despite their suspicious attitude towards pagan wisdom, were preserved by medieval monks.

In Carolingian times, the richest monasteries - such as St. Gallen and Lorsch in the German lands or Bobbio in Italy - possessed 400-600 volumes. The catalog of the library of the monastery of Saint-Riquier in northern France, compiled in 831, consisted of 243 volumes. A chronicle written in the 12th century at the monastery of Saint-Pierre-le-Vief in Sens, lists the manuscripts ordered to be rewritten or restored by the abbe Arnaud. In addition to biblical and liturgical books, it included commentaries and theological writings by Origen, Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great, the passion of the martyr Tiburtius, a description of the transfer of the relics of St. Benedict to the monastery of Fleury, the History of the Lombards by Paul the Deacon, etc.

In many monasteries, the library functioned as scriptoria, where the brothers copied and decorated new books. Until the 13th century, when workshops for lay scribes began to multiply in the cities, monasteries remained the main producers of books, and monks their main readers.

6. Chapter Hall

The administrative and disciplinary center of the monastery. It was there that every morning (after the service of the first hour in summer; after the third hour and morning mass in winter) the monks gathered to read one of the chapters (capitulum) of the Benedictine Rule. Hence the name of the hall. In addition to the charter, they read out a fragment from the martyrology (a list of saints whose memory was celebrated on each day) and an obituary (a list of the deceased brothers, patrons of the monastery and members of his “family”, for whom the monks should offer prayers on this day).

In the same hall, the abbot instructed the brethren and sometimes consulted with selected monks. There, the novices who passed the probationary period again asked to be tonsured as monks. There the abbot received the mighty of this world and resolved conflicts between the monastery and church authorities or secular lords. The “accusatory chapter” also took place there - after reading the charter, the abbot said: “If someone has something to say, let him speak.” And then those monks who knew for someone or for themselves some kind of violation (for example, they were late for the service or left the found thing with them for at least one day), they had to confess to the rest of the brethren in it and suffer the punishment, which appointed by the pastor.

The frescoes that adorned the capitular halls of many Benedictine abbeys reflected their disciplinary vocation. For example, in the St. Emmeram Monastery in Regensburg, paintings were made on the theme of the “angelic life” of monks struggling with temptations, following the model of St. Benedict, their father and legislator. In the monastery of Saint-Georges-de-Bocherville in Normandy, on the arcades of the capitular hall, images of corporal punishment were carved, to which the guilty monks were sentenced.

Granet Francois-Marius (1775-1849) "Meeting of the monastery chapter". France, 1833
Canvas, oil. 97 x 134.5 cm.
State Hermitage.

7. Room for conversations

The Rule of St. Benedict ordered the brethren to remain silent most of the time. Silence was considered the mother of virtues, and a closed mouth was considered “a condition for the rest of the heart.” Collections of the customs of various monasteries sharply limited those places and moments of the day when the brothers could communicate with each other, and the lives described heavy punishments that fall on the heads of talkers. In some abbeys, a distinction was made between "great silence" (when it is forbidden to speak at all) and "little silence" (when one could speak in an undertone). In separate rooms - churches, dormitories, a refectory, etc. - idle conversations were completely prohibited. After Compline, there was to be absolute silence in the entire monastery.

In case of emergency, it was possible to talk in special rooms (auditorium). In Cistercian monasteries there could be two of them: one for the prior and monks (next to the chapter hall), the second, primarily for the cellar and convers (between their refectory and kitchen).

To facilitate communication, some abbeys developed special sign languages ​​that made it possible to transmit the simplest messages without formally violating the charter. Such gestures did not mean sounds or syllables, but whole words: the names of various premises, everyday objects, elements of worship, liturgical books, etc. Lists of such signs were preserved in many monasteries. For example, in Cluny there were 35 gestures for describing food, 22 for items of clothing, 20 for worship, etc. To “say” the word “bread”, one had to make a circle with two little fingers and two forefingers, since bread was usually baked round. In different abbeys, the gestures were completely different, and the gesticulating monks of Cluny and Hirsau would not have understood each other.

8. Bedroom, or dormitorium

Most often, this room was located on the second floor, above the chapter hall or next to it, and it could be accessed not only from the cloister, but also through the passage from the church. The 22nd chapter of the Benedictine charter prescribed that each monk should sleep on a separate bed, preferably in the same room:

«<…>... but if their numbers do not allow this to be arranged, let them sleep by ten or twenty, with the elders, on whom lies the care of them. Let the lamp in the bedroom burn until morning.

They should sleep in their clothes, girded with belts or ropes. When they sleep, let them not have their little knives with which they work, cut off branches and the like, so as not to injure themselves during sleep. The monks should always be ready and, as soon as the sign is given, get up without delay, hasten, preempting one another, to the work of God, decorously, but modestly. The youngest brethren should not have beds next to each other, but let them be mixed with the elders. Standing up for the cause of God, let them fraternally encourage each other, dispelling the excuses invented by the drowsy.

Benedict of Nursia instructed that the monk should sleep on a simple mat, covered with a blanket. However, his charter was intended for a monastery located in southern Italy. In northern lands—say, Germany or Scandinavia—observance of this directive required much greater (often almost impossible) selflessness and contempt for the flesh. In various monasteries and orders, depending on their severity, different measures of comfort were allowed. For example, Franciscans were required to sleep on bare ground or planks, and mats were only allowed for those who were physically weak.

9. Warm room, or calefactorium

Since almost all the premises of the monastery were not heated, a special warm room was arranged in the northern lands, where the fire was maintained. There the monks could warm up a little, melt the frozen ink or wax their shoes.

10. Refectory, or refectorium

IN large monasteries the refectories, which were supposed to accommodate the entire brethren, were very impressive. For example, in the Parisian abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the refectory was 40 meters long and 20 meters wide. Long tables with benches were placed in the shape of the letter "P", and all the brethren were seated behind them in order of seniority - just like in the choir of the church.
In the Benedictine monasteries, where, unlike the Cistercian ones, there were many cult and didactic images, frescoes depicting the Last Supper were often painted in the refectories. The monks had to identify themselves with the apostles gathered around Christ.

11. Kitchen

The Cistercian diet was mostly vegetarian, with the addition of fish. There were no special cooks - the brothers worked in the kitchen for a week, on Saturday evening the brigade on duty gave way to the next one.

For most of the year, the monks received only one meal a day, in the late afternoon. From mid-September until Lent (beginning around mid-February), they could eat for the first time after the ninth hour, and in Lent after supper. Only after Easter did the monks get the right to have another meal around noon.

Most often, the monastic dinner consisted of beans (beans, lentils, etc.), designed to satisfy hunger, after which they served the main course, which included fish or eggs and cheese. On Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, each usually received a whole portion, and on the days of fasting, Monday, Wednesday and Friday - one portion for two.

In addition, to support the strength of the monks, every day they were given a portion of bread and a glass of wine or beer.

12. Refectory for converse

In the Cistercian monasteries, lay brothers were separated from full-fledged monks: they had their own dormitory, their own refectory, their own entrance to the church, etc.

13. Entrance to the monastery

The Cistercians strove to build their abbeys as far as possible from cities and villages in order to overcome the secularization in which the “black monks”, primarily the Clunians, had been mired in the centuries since the time of St. Benedict. Nevertheless, the “white monks” also could not completely fence themselves off from the world. Lay people came to them, members of the monastic "family", connected with the brothers by ties of kinship or who decided to serve the monastery. The gatekeeper, who watched over the entrance to the monastery, periodically welcomed the poor, who were given bread and leftover food left uneaten by the brothers.

14. Hospital

In large monasteries, a hospital has always been set up - with a chapel, a refectory, and sometimes with its own kitchen. Unlike healthy counterparts, patients could count on increased nutrition and other benefits: for example, they were allowed to exchange a few words during meals and not attend all the long services.

All brothers were periodically sent to the hospital, where they underwent bloodletting (minutio) - a procedure that was considered extremely useful and even necessary to maintain the correct balance of humors (blood, mucus, black bile and yellow bile) in the body. After this procedure, the weakened monks received temporary relief for several days in order to restore their strength: exemption from the all-night service, evening rations and a glass of wine, and sometimes delicacies like fried chicken or goose.

15. Other buildings

In addition to the church, the cloister and the main buildings where the life of monks, novices and converse passed, the monasteries had many other buildings: the personal apartments of the abbot; a hospice for poor wanderers and a hotel for important guests; various outbuildings: barns, cellars, mills and bakeries; stables, dovecotes, etc. Medieval monks were engaged in many crafts (made wine, brewed beer, dressed leather, processed metals, worked on glass, produced tiles and bricks) and actively mastered natural resources: they uprooted and felled forests, mined stone, coal , iron and peat, mastered salt mines, built water mills on rivers, etc. As we would say today, monasteries were one of the main centers of technical innovation.

Klodt, Mikhail Petrovich (1835-1914) "The Laundry in the Catholic Franciscan Monastery". 1865
Canvas, oil. 79 x 119cm.
Ulyanovsk Regional Art Museum.

Literature:
. Dyuby J. Time of cathedrals. Art and Society, 980-1420. M., 2002.
. Karsavin L.P. Monasticism in the Middle Ages. M., 1992.
. Leo of Marsicansky, Peter the Deacon. Chronicle of Montecassino in 4 books. Ed. prepared by I. V. Dyakonov. M., 2015.
. Moulin L. Daily life of medieval monks in Western Europe (X-XV centuries). M., 2002.
. Peter Damiani. Life of St. Romuald. Monuments of medieval Latin literature of the X-XI centuries. Rep. ed. M. L. Gasparov. M., 2011.
. Uskov N. F. Christianity and monasticism in Western Europe early Middle Ages. German lands II / III - mid-XI. SPb., 2001.
. Ekkehard IV. History of St. Gallen Monastery. Monuments of medieval Latin literature of the X-XII centuries. M., 1972.
. Monastic Rule of Benedict. Middle Ages in his monuments. Per. N. A. Geinike, D. N. Egorova, V. S. Protopopov and I. I. Schitz. Ed. D. N. Egorova. M., 1913.
. Cassidy-Welch M. Monastic Spaces and Their Meanings. Thirteenth-Century English Cistercian Monasteries. Turnout, 2001.
. D'Eberbach C. Le Grand Exorde de Cîteaux. Berlioz J. (ed.). Turnout, 1998.
. Davril A., Palazzo E. La vie des moines au temps des grandes abbayes, Xe-XIIIe siècles. Paris, 2010.
. Dohrn-van Rossum G. L'histoire de l'heure. L'horlogerie et l'organisation moderne du temps. Paris, 1997.
. Dubois J. Les moines dans la société du MoyenÂge (950-1350). Revue d'histoire de l "Église de France. Vol. 164. 1974.
. Greene P. J. Medieval Monasteries. London; New York, 2005.
. Kinder T. N. Cistercian Europe: Architecture of Contemplation. Cambridge, 2002.
. Miccoli G. Les moines. L'homme mediéval. Le Goff J. (dir.). Paris, 1989.
. Schmitt J.-C. Les rythmes au MoyenÂge. Paris, 2016.
. Vauchez A. La Spiritualité du Moyen Âge occidental, VIIIe-XIIIe siècle. Paris, 1994.
. cluny. Roux-Périno J. (ed.). Vic-en-Bigorre, 2008.
. Elisabeth of Schonau. The Complete Works. Clark A. L. (ed.). New York, 2000.
. Raoul Glaber: les cinq livres de ses histoires (900-1044). Prou M. (ed.). Paris, 1886.

Cuvier Armand (active c. 1846) "The Monastery of the Dominicans at Voltri". France, Paris, first half of the 19th century.
Chinese paper, lithograph. 30 x 43 cm.
State Hermitage.

Hanisch Alois (b. 1866) "Melk Monastery". Austria, late 19th - early 20th century.
Paper, lithography. 564 x 458 mm (sheet)
State Hermitage.

J. Howe "The Procession of the Monks". UK, 19th century
Paper, steel engraving. 25.8 x 16 cm.
State Hermitage.

This is Louis (1858-1919) "Thistle flower with a view of the monastery in the background." Album "Golden Book of Lorraine". France, 1893 (?)
Paper, ink pen, watercolor. 37 x 25 cm.
State Hermitage.

Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) View of the Monastery of Villambrosa. Sheets from the suite of illustrations for the biography of St. John Gualbert "Views of the Monastery of Villambroso". Italy, 17th century
Paper, etching. 17.4 x 13.2 cm.
State Hermitage.

Bronnikov Fedor Andreevich (1827-1902) "Capuchin". 1881
Wood, oil. 40.5 x 28 cm.
Kherson Regional Art Museum named after A.A. Shovkunenko.

Eduard von Grützner (1846-1925) Monk with a Newspaper. Germany, third quarter of the 19th century.
Canvas, oil. 36 x 27 cm.
State Hermitage.

Callot Jacques (1592-1635) Pogrom of the monastery. Sheets from the suite "The Great Disasters of War (Les grandes miseres de la guerre)". France, 17th century
Paper, etching. 9 x 19.4 cm
State Hermitage.

Unknown Flemish artist, con. 17th century "The Hermit Monks". Flanders, 17th century
Wood, oil. 56 x 65.5 cm.
State Hermitage.

For many centuries, the abbey served as a place of residence for people who decided to devote their lives to serving God. In the Middle Ages, the cultural, scientific and educational life of cities was concentrated in them, libraries were opened and stored. Today medieval monasteries Europe is extremely popular with tourists, a significant part of them is a landmark and an object of cultural heritage.

general information

The word "monastery" comes from the Greek "alone, lonely". This is a religious community of men or women (monks and nuns), which owns a complex of buildings (household, liturgical and residential) and which has a single charter. In other words, abbeys are entire small towns that can provide themselves with everything: food, water, clothing, necessary household items. They were also surrounded by a wall and could defend themselves while help rushed to them.

Abbeys are Western Catholic monasteries run by an abbot or abbess. Some Orthodox male monasteries are called laurels: for example, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

An interesting fact for presentation in the class: monasteries exist not only in Christianity, but also in Buddhism, while Protestantism does not recognize monasticism.

The first religious communities appeared in the 3rd century AD. e. in Egypt, when Christianity began to actively spread, and its laws became less strict. Wanting to retire and devote themselves exclusively to God, people went to deserts and mountains, remaining there. They were called hermits and hermits.

The first monastery was founded by the Monk Pachomius the Great. He united the lonely houses of hermits, built a wall around them for protection, and drew up uniform rules and a daily routine that all residents had to follow. In 318 he compiled the first monastic charter.

After the death of Pachomius the Great, monasteries began to spread through Palestine to Constantinople. In the West, abbeys began to appear after 340, when Athanasius the Great, Bishop of Alexandria, visited Rome. In Rus', the first monks were Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves - the founders of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Distribution in Europe

The monasteries of the Middle Ages in Europe quickly became rich structures and looked like fortresses (this can be seen in the drawings and descriptions). This was facilitated by donations from local residents, kings and knights (many even bequeathed their lands to monasteries so that the latter would remember them in prayers), tax exemption and unpaid labor (the monks themselves worked in the fields and in workshops without receiving payment).

At the same time, monasteries were also creative centers of education and science. The secular education of Ancient Greece and Rome was forbidden because it was based on heretical thoughts and teachings. Schools at monasteries were the only ones. They gave education in accordance with religious needs. For example, astronomy was needed not to study the planets and stars, but to calculate dates church holidays, grammar was needed for reading the Bible and transcribing it.

The study was conducted in Latin all year round, the discipline was extremely strict, and for offenses they were punished physically. And yet it is worth noting that in those days the monasteries were a place of concentration of science and art: artists, sculptors, musicians, thinkers, writers, even alchemists (for example, the Franciscan Roger Bacon) lived and worked in them. Subsequently, many abbeys turned into universities.

Places to visit

The first monasteries were founded in the IV-V centuries. Some of them have survived to this day and are active. Most of them are open for visits and excursions. Additional information messages about opening hours and visiting procedures can be found on the websites of each monastery.

Abbey of Saint Catherine

The oldest monastery in Europe in the Middle Ages is monastery St. Catherine's is located in South Sinai in Egypt. In the III century, at an altitude of 1.5 thousand meters on Mount Sinai (the sacred place where God appeared to Moses and gave him the commandments), hermits began to gather. They settled in the caves one by one and gathered for worship.

In the 4th century, the monastery itself appeared on this site, named after the Transfiguration or the Burning Bush. In the 8th century, the relics of St. Catherine were brought to the abbey, in the 11th century the name was changed to the modern one.

Today the monastery is one of the oldest in the world. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Due to its location, the place has never been ruined, it has not been captured, and therefore the monks managed to save a large number of valuables.

The treasures of the monastery include:

1. The relics of St. Catherine, open for worship.
2. Burning bush- a thorn bush in which God appeared to Moses when transmitting the commandments.
3. A library with more than 3,000 manuscripts and 5,000 books. Here are some sheets ancient bible and the first psalter in Slavic, books printed in the first decade of printing, important documents.
4. A unique collection of icons, some of which were painted in the 6th century with wax paints.
5. The well of Moses, near which he met the daughters of the priest Raguel.

Pilgrims can get inside from 9 am to 12 pm. The Burning Bush and the front part of the church are available for inspection, the Orthodox can also go to the library and the chapel. TO appearance visitors have certain requirements: clothing should be modest and closed, women should cover their hair.

Saint Gall

St. Gallen Abbey of the Benedictines was founded in 613 by the Irish monk Saint Gall in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In 1983 it was included in the UNESCO list.

The monastery was the largest European cultural and scientific center in the Middle Ages. Here were located:

1. An art school whose manuscripts and illustrations were highly valued.
2. Singing school where Gregorian chant was taught.
3. The poets Notker Zaika and Tuotilo, the master of literature Notker Gubasty worked here.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of the 18th century, the militia invaded the monastery and took a significant part of the wealth. In the second half of the same century, the medieval buildings were dismantled, and new baroque temples appeared in their place.

Despite the losses, there is something to see in the monastery. His library is considered one of the largest: it contains about 160 thousand items. Among the most interesting are the architectural plan of an ideal monastery of the beginning of the 9th century, more than 2 thousand manuscripts of the 8th-15th centuries (including the Nibelungenlied), more than 1.5 thousand incunabula (books published before the advent of printing). The library is open to visitors.

Admont in Austria

The Catholic monastery is located on the Enns River in the city of Admont. It is the oldest in the federal state of Styria in southeastern Austria.

The history of the place is amazing and varied:

1. It was founded in 1074 by the Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg.
2. In 1120, a nunnery, abolished in the XVI-XVII, joined it.
3. In XII, a scriptorium (a workshop for copying manuscripts) was created, after which unique books remained.
4. During the war with Turkey and during the Reformation, the monastery was in decline. Prosperity began only in the Counter-Reformation.
5. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. Ekah prominent sculptors and artists worked here, including Josef Stammel and Benno Haan.
6. The fire of 1865 seriously damaged Admont: the library was damaged, Franz Christmann's organ was destroyed. Restoration work was completed only in 1890.
7. In the 1930s, the Great Depression nearly ravaged the abbey. To raise money, I had to sell some art values.
8. Under the National Socialists, the monks were evicted. They returned only after WWII.

Today Admont's main attraction is its library, the largest monastic library in the world. Its length is 70 meters, the ceilings are decorated with frescoes, sculptures are located along the walls. In addition, the monastery has several collections: insects, minerals and rocks, historical and contemporary art.

In the Lerins Islands

The Catholic Lerins Abbey is located on the island of Saint Honorat near Cannes in France. It belongs to the Cistercian order.

The abbey was founded around 410 by Saint Honoratus, whose relics were kept here. Already in the VIII century, it became one of the most influential and largest in Europe: about 500 people lived here. The inhabitants were distinguished by social activity: they founded new monasteries or became bishops. The monastery owned a significant part of the land and a fishing village; at the end of the 11th century, a fort was built to protect it from the sea.

And yet, at the end of the 18th century, the abbey was closed and began to collapse. The relics of Honoratus carried the Cathedral of Grace. The revival of the place began in the middle of the 19th century with the arrival of the Cistercians. Unfortunately, of the old buildings, only the courtyard and towers have been preserved, the new ones were built in the Romanesque style.

Since the monastery remains active and the monks lead an ascetic life, only part of the island is open to visitors. There is a church, a museum with manuscripts and a covered gallery that runs around the courtyard. The eastern half is closed, it is called the "zone of silence". About 25 monks live there.

25 km west of Vienna, on the edge of the Vienna Woods, in 1133 the Cistercians founded the monastery of the Holy Cross or Heiligenkreuz. Today it is one of the largest active abbeys of the order and a large, well-preserved medieval complex.

In 1182, a cross with fragments of the life-giving Cross of the Lord was given to the Duke of Austria from Jerusalem as a gift. After 6 years the duke donated the relic to Heiligenkreuz where it is still kept. The gift led to the prosperity of the place: pilgrims flocked here.

However, in the XV-XVI centuries. due to epidemics, fires and attacks, the decline began. At the end of the 17th century, during the siege by the Turks, the abbey was burned down, and a huge library perished. Recovery began only after the defeat of the enemy.

Under King Joseph II, who closed many monasteries, Heiligenkreuz was saved only thanks to the founding of the Theological Institute (today the Philosophical-Theological Higher School). Under the National Socialists, a significant part of the land was taken away, several monks were arrested. Only after the Second World War the monastery returned everything back.

Tourists can enter the territory only in set time and visit restricted areas.

Other options

Of course, these are not all medieval monasteries that tourists can visit. In almost every country there are several places of this kind. A list of medieval monasteries in Europe with a plan and pictures can be found additionally on websites, as well as in reports and projects on this topic.

Below are some abbeys (according to Wikipedia):

1. Monastery of Saint Mauritius of Agon in Switzerland. Founded in 515. In the 1st century BC e. here was the Roman temple of the god Mercury, later the Theban legion under the command of St. Mauritius was martyred on this site.
2. Candida Cassa ("White House") in Scotland. Saint Ninian built the first stone Christian church in Scotland in 397. Soon a settlement was formed around it.
3. Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland. The date of foundation is considered to be 934. According to legend, Saint Meinrad lived here - a German monk who brought with him a miraculous statue of the Madonna. The statue burned down in a fire in 1465 and was replaced by a gift from the abbess from Zurich. The sculpture was named "Black Madonna".
4. Monastery of Mont Saint-Michel in France. Mont Saint Michel is a small island fortress founded in 709. The abbey was built in the 11th century by the Benedictines. It was closed several times, the last time at the end of the 18th century, but in 1969 a small community (7 people) settled here again.

European medieval monasteries attract a large number of tourists from all over the world thanks to preserved buildings and riches that are difficult to describe. Many of them remain valid, and therefore not all territories are available to visitors, and they also need to comply with certain conditions for visiting.