Klášter Osek Monastery

The Osek Monastery is a significant historical landmark in the heart of Krušné hory, founded in the 13th century as a Romanesque-Gothic structure. Initially built by Cistercian monks from the Bavarian Waldsassen Abbey, it has undergone several transformations and expansions over the centuries. Today, this baroque monastery complex is a notable landmark, boasting a unique blend of architectural styles.

The monastery's origin dates back to 1191 when it was founded in Mašťov. However, due to financial struggles, the monks relocated to Osek in 1199 with the support of Slávek of the Hrabišici family. The abbey flourished during the first half of the 13th century, attempting to establish a daughter abbey in Nížkov, though unsuccessfully.

In the 14th century, King John of Bohemia made Osek a royal abbey, which prospered until the Hussite Wars when Prague's Hussite armies burned it in 1421. Most monks escaped to Altzella Abbey, but Osek Monastery fell into decline. By 1580, Pope Gregory XIII dissolved the abbey, and the remaining monks relocated to Sedlec and Zbraslav.

The abbey's property came directly under the Prague Archbishopric, and the monastery was reestablished in 1626 with the support of Archbishop John Lohelius. However, it did not appoint its own abbot until 1650. In the 18th century, the abbey underwent a transformation, being rebuilt in the Baroque style by architect Octavian Broggio.

During World War II, part of the monastery was forcibly requisitioned and sold to the occupying German army. After the war, Abbot Eberhard Harzer and numerous monks faced investigations and false accusations of collaborating with the Nazis. Despite lacking evidence, they were still condemned to hard labor in the coal mines near Osek.

The Cistercian monks were subsequently expelled to Germany, and Salesians briefly took over the monastery. However, their presence was cut short during the K Action in 1950, a state-led suppression of monasteries and abbeys in Communist Czechoslovakia. The abbey was changed into an internment camp for hundreds of monks and priests. Later, it became home to religious sisters from six different religious orders.

The Cistercians could return to Osek after 1989. In 1991, the newly elected Abbot Bernhard Thebes moved to the monastery with a small community of monks. Bernhard Thebes died in 2010 as the last abbot of Osek and was buried in the crypt of the monastery church.

Today, the baroque monastery complex is open to visitors, offering a glimpse into its rich history and architectural heritage. The monastery's Church of Assumption of Virgin Mary boasts a three-nave basilica with a unique high-Gothic statue of Virgin Mary. The convent features a Gothic cloister and chapter house with an early Gothic stone ambon from around 1240.

The abbot's residence, located at the main entrance of the monastery, was constructed between 1719 and 1725. It consists of three wings with an inner court adjacent to the eastern wing of the convent. The clock tower houses four bells, each created by a different bellmaker. A significant portion of the abbey complex consists of auxiliary buildings, including a brewery that remains active today.

The surrounding landscape features rolling hills and forests, with other notable monuments nearby. Visitors can explore the monastery's architecture, art, and history, gaining insight into its significance as a royal abbey and cultural monument.