Sázava Monastery

Sázava Monastery tickets: which one to buy

Sázava Monastery stands above the Sázava river in the small town of Sázava, in central Bohemia, Czech Republic, about fifty kilometres south-east of Prague, and it is visited with a ticket, usually on guided tours, some of them available in English. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Bohemia, founded by Saint Procopius, and it was once a centre of the Slavonic liturgy, unusual in Western Christianity. The monastery is managed by the Czech National Heritage Institute, and its tours cover the unfinished Gothic church, the chapter house with medieval frescoes, the baroque rooms and an exhibition on the monastery's history.

Trains run from Prague along the scenic Sázava valley in about an hour and a half, and the valley is popular for canoeing, cycling and hiking. Visitors often combine the monastery with the town of Kutná Hora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Sedlec Ossuary and the Cathedral of Saint Barbara, about forty minutes' drive away, and with the Český Šternberk castle further up the river. The town of Sázava also has a glass tradition, and its old glassworks can be seen nearby.

Visiting Sázava Monastery: what to see

The monastery was founded around 1032 by the hermit Procopius, who had lived in a cave above the river, with the support of Duke Oldřich, and it followed the Benedictine rule while using the Church Slavonic language in its liturgy, a tradition inherited from Saints Cyril and Methodius. Procopius was the first abbot and was later canonised, becoming one of the patron saints of Bohemia. The Slavonic monks were expelled in 1096 and replaced with Latin monks, and the monastery continued as a Benedictine house. In the fourteenth century a large Gothic church was begun, but it was never finished, and its tall choir stands open, with the arches of the unbuilt nave visible in the grounds.

The chapter house holds a famous fourteenth-century fresco of the Madonna of Sázava, influenced by Italian painting. The monastery was damaged by the Hussites in the fifteenth century, and it was rebuilt in the baroque period, when the church received a baroque interior and the monastery buildings were converted. After the monastery was dissolved in 1785, it became a château owned by noble families, who added a neo-Gothic facade. The exhibition shows the archaeological finds of the Romanesque church, the history of Old Slavonic culture and the life of Saint Procopius.

Sázava Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open from April to October, usually from Tuesday to Sunday, with guided tours at set times, and it is closed in winter, apart from occasional events. Summer is the busiest season, when the Sázava valley is full of canoeists and cyclists, and spring and early autumn are quieter. The feast of Saint Procopius on 4 July brings pilgrims and celebrations. Weekdays are the quietest time to visit. Allow about an hour for the tour, and walk to the Procopius cave above the town.