Chotešov Abbey
Encyclopedia
Chotěšov Abbey is a former Premonstratensian
nunnery in Chotěšov, about 18 kilometres southwest of Pilsen in the Plzeň Region
of the Czech Republic
.
. The new foundation soon acquired wealth and influence, to the envy of the surrounding lordships and territories.
In 1421, during the Hussite Wars
the nunnery was occupied and destroyed by a Hussite
army under Jan Žižka
. During the Thirty Year's War, in 1618, the nunnery was again occupied and plundered.
Between 1737 and 1756 the abbey was extensively rebuilt to Baroque
designs by Jakub Auguston
.
. The lands and buildings were bought in 1822 by the Prince of Thurn und Taxis
, also known as the Visitandines or Salesian Sisters, for refugees of their Order from Moselweiss near Koblenz
in Germany
. They established a community and a girls' school here, which rapidly became well-known, particularly for the study of languages.
After World War I
a group of sisters returned to Germany and set up a community in Marchtal Abbey
. At the beginning of World War II
the school was closed and instead the sisters took over the running of a home for elderly women which was established in part of the premises. All German sisters were obliged to leave the abbey and the country in 1945 after the end of World War II
, leaving about 30 Czech sisters to run the home.
did part of his military service here in the 1960s) until 1975 when the army left, leaving an estimated 10 million crowns' worth of damage for which compensation has never been received. The buildings have stood empty ever since.
After some years under the control of government agencies, in 1991 ownership of the buildings was divided between the town of Chotěšov and the Visitandine nuns at Chlumec, whose share has since also passed to the town.
The abandoned buildings are in part in a state approaching the derelict and are threatened with collapse, despite their architectural and historical value and the great efforts of the local community to save them.
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
nunnery in Chotěšov, about 18 kilometres southwest of Pilsen in the Plzeň Region
Plzen Region
Plzeň Region is an administrative unit in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is named after its capital Plzeň .- Communes :...
of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Premonstratensian nunnery
The abbey was founded between 1202 and 1210 by the Blessed Hroznata, whose sister Vyslava was first abbess, and settled by nuns from Doksany AbbeyDoksany
Doksany is a village and municipality in Litoměřice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 369 ....
. The new foundation soon acquired wealth and influence, to the envy of the surrounding lordships and territories.
In 1421, during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
the nunnery was occupied and destroyed by a Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
army under Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha , Czech general and Hussite leader, follower of Jan Hus, was born at small village Trocnov in Bohemia, into a gentried family. He was nicknamed "One-eyed Žižka"...
. During the Thirty Year's War, in 1618, the nunnery was again occupied and plundered.
Between 1737 and 1756 the abbey was extensively rebuilt to Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
designs by Jakub Auguston
Jakub Auguston
Jakub Auguston jr. was an important baroque architect in Plzeň and west Bohemia. His works include, tee Chotěšov Abbey,the Church of Saint Anna and Saint Ruzena Limanska in Plzeň. He is buried in the church's crypt.,....
.
Dissolution
On 21 January 1782 however it was dissolved under the rationalist reforms of the Emperor Joseph IIJoseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
. The lands and buildings were bought in 1822 by the Prince of Thurn und Taxis
Thurn und Taxis
The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :...
Salesian Sisters
In 1878 part of the premises were leased to the Order of the Visitation of Holy MaryOrder of the Visitation of Holy Mary
The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary or the Visitation Order is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. Members of the order are also known as Filles de Sainte-Marie, Visitandines, Salesian Sisters and, more commonly, Visitationists.- History of the order :The Order was founded in 1610 by...
, also known as the Visitandines or Salesian Sisters, for refugees of their Order from Moselweiss near Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. They established a community and a girls' school here, which rapidly became well-known, particularly for the study of languages.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
a group of sisters returned to Germany and set up a community in Marchtal Abbey
Marchtal Abbey
Marchtal Abbey is a former Premonstratensian monastery in Obermarchtal in the Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The minster church of Saints Peter and Paul, the former abbey church, located on a prominent elevation, still dominates the landscape for miles around.-First foundation:In 776...
. At the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the school was closed and instead the sisters took over the running of a home for elderly women which was established in part of the premises. All German sisters were obliged to leave the abbey and the country in 1945 after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, leaving about 30 Czech sisters to run the home.
Post-war
All occupants of the abbey were evicted in 1950, when the abbey was requisitioned as accommodation for the Czech army (the protest singer Karel KrylKarel Kryl
Karel Kryl was a popular Czech singer-songwriter and performer of many protest songs in which he strongly criticized and identified the shortcomings and inhumanity of the Communist and later post-communist regime in his home country.-Biography:Kryl was born on April 12, 1944, in Kroměříž, in...
did part of his military service here in the 1960s) until 1975 when the army left, leaving an estimated 10 million crowns' worth of damage for which compensation has never been received. The buildings have stood empty ever since.
After some years under the control of government agencies, in 1991 ownership of the buildings was divided between the town of Chotěšov and the Visitandine nuns at Chlumec, whose share has since also passed to the town.
The abandoned buildings are in part in a state approaching the derelict and are threatened with collapse, despite their architectural and historical value and the great efforts of the local community to save them.