Monastery of Minorites in Cesky Krumlov

Near the Outer courtyard of Krumlov castle, on the Bank of the Vltava river, there is a monastery of Minorites. This is a vast complex of buildings. There is a beautiful Baroque Church and a small Park along the river.

The convent was founded on this site in the 14th century by Peter Rosenberg. The nuns of monastery cared for the sick in the Lord`s hospital, which was located nearby.

In 1785, the monastery passed to the Minorite Order, better known as the Franciscan monastic order (founded in the 13th century by Saint Francis of Assisi). Since 1950, the monks left the monastery, and it was used by the city authorities for secular purposes. Educational institutions were located here, and even officials lived there. Since 1995, it has been transferred to the Order of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star. It is a Czech Catholic order founded in 1233.

Initially, the monastery complex was built in the Gothic style, but due to alterations, many buildings of the monastery now have features of the Baroque. The main Cathedral of the Minorite monastery is the Church of the Body of God and the Sorrowing Virgin Mary. Its ribbed vaults are decorated with beautiful paintings and stucco. The altar of the Virgin Mary and the chapel of St. Wolfgang are very richly decorated in the Baroque style. The monastery has a large library with very valuable old books, but the entrance to it is closed for tourists.