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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ZLATÁ KORUNA MONASTERY
The monastery, originally named Sancta Corona Spinea – the Holy Thorn Crown, was founded in 1263 by a foundation charter of King Přemysl Otakar II. It derives its name from a relic of a thorn from Christ’s crown that Přemysl Otakar II obtained from Louis IX the Pious and gave it as a present to the newly founded monastery.
The convent of the Cistercian Order from the mother monastery in
Heiligenkreuz, with abbot Heinrich as its head entered upon the possession of the monastery property. The richly endowed monastery was, however, destroyed shortly after Přemysl Otakar II’s death and had to be founded again. In 1354, the monastery burnt down and so stonemason Michael, brother of Peter Parléř, was called in to the abbey. Another disaster hit the monastery in 1420, when it was twice conquered by the Hussites, who burnt it down completely. The deserted monastery started to be managed by the Rosenbergs, who tried to keep the newly acquired property even by forging documents. It was only under abbot Jiří Taxer that the monastery buildings started to be repaired thus bringing the monastery to life again. In 1665 the repair of the burnt and waste church started. The work on the church was finished as late as 17th century by abbot Matěj Ungar, under whom the Baroque remodelling of the monastery was carried out.
In 1755 Bohumír Bylanský was elected as the last abbot. Under his rule, which lasted until 1785, the monastery church, the abbey as well as the Great Convent were adorned with lavish wall paintings and stucco decorations, he founded the well-known school of Zlatá Koruna, which was attended by girls too, and a spinning mill, dry plant and an observatory were established.
After the monastery was abolished most of the monastery’s property was purchased by the Schwarzenbergs, who first established a bleaching ground, then a paper board plant, a plant for the production of fine textiles and cashmere, and, in the mid-19th century, even an iron foundry. The exploitation of the building complex for industrial purposes continued until 1909, when, in response to the broad public, restoration work was started.
