Augustinian monastery in Šternberk

The Augustinian Monastery in Šternberk stands right next to Šternberk Castle, on a hill overlooking the town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest monastic complexes in Moravia, with a history reaching back to the 14th century, long before the present Baroque building took shape.

When was the monastery founded?

Augustinian canons settled in Šternberk as early as 1371. The community founded at that time is regarded as the oldest Augustinian canonry in Moravia, which alone makes it a notable point on the region's religious history map. Over the following centuries, the canons built not only a spiritual community but also a local center of learning and culture — the monastery served as a hub of education and intellectual life for the town and surrounding villages.

What shows the monastery's religious importance?

An important sign of the site's religious standing comes from 1404. The Bishop of Olomouc, Lacek of Kravaře, consecrated the altars of St. John the Baptist and St. Catherine in the monastery church that year and granted indulgences to visitors connected with those altars. The practice of granting indulgences, usually associated with pilgrimage destinations, indicates that by the early 15th century the Šternberk monastery was already drawing the faithful from beyond the town itself.

How did the monastery's appearance change over time?

The buildings visitors see today are largely not medieval. The present Baroque form of the monastery complex is the work of its last provosts in the 18th century. The thorough Baroque reconstruction was completed between 1775 and 1783, meaning the architecture on view today is the result of a deliberate, planned modernization carried out more than two centuries ago, rather than piecemeal repairs over time.

What happens at the monastery today?

The monastery's story does not end with its historical heyday. In 1999, a civic association called Handkeho sdružení was founded in Šternberk, dedicating itself to protecting and reviving the former monastery culturally. The building was included in the Czech Ministry of Culture's Rescue of Architectural Heritage program, which enabled gradual conservation work and the restoration of the buildings' functions. Thanks to the association's activity, the monastery is now open to visitors — guided tours are organized on site, and the interiors once inhabited by Augustinian canons again serve the local community, including as a venue for cultural events.

Why combine a visit with Šternberk Castle?

The monastery's proximity to Šternberk Castle makes the two sites a natural pairing for a single visit. The monastery stands directly next to the castle, so no additional transport is needed to walk between them — a practical combination of secular castle architecture and sacred monastic architecture in one place, rarely found this close together.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Augustinian monastery in Šternberk? Augustinian canons settled here in 1371, and the resulting community is considered the oldest Augustinian canonry in Moravia.

How do we know the site mattered to pilgrims? In 1404, the Bishop of Olomouc consecrated the altars of St. John the Baptist and St. Catherine here and granted indulgences to visitors — a practice typically tied to places that drew pilgrims.

Are today's buildings medieval? Mostly not — the monastery's current Baroque appearance is the result of a reconstruction carried out between 1775 and 1783 by its last provosts.

Can the monastery be visited? Yes. Since 1999, the local Handkeho sdružení association has run cultural and conservation work around the building, and the monastery is open to visitors through guided tours.

Is the monastery next to Šternberk Castle? Yes, the monastery is located immediately next to Šternberk Castle, making it possible to see both sites during a single visit to the town.