Chotěšov Abbey

Chotěšov Abbey is a former Premonstratensian nunnery in the town of Chotěšov, roughly 18 kilometres southwest of Plzeň, in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. The monastic complex stands at coordinates 49.6533, 13.1982 and ranks among the region's most significant religious monuments.

Who founded the abbey in Chotěšov?

The abbey was founded by Blessed Hroznata, a Bohemian nobleman, at the request of his sister Vojslava. Construction took place between 1202 and 1210. The first nuns to settle within the newly built walls came from the abbey at Doksany, which is the source of the local Premonstratensian community.

What was the abbey's golden age like?

The community's period of greatest prosperity came during the reign of Emperor Charles IV, when the convent buildings were renovated and the abbey's landholdings reached an impressive size for the era — 56 villages plus the three towns of Stod, Holýšov and Dobřany. Such extensive property underlines how influential the abbey once was, both economically and politically, within the Plzeň region.

What crises did the abbey survive?

Chotěšov's history was far from uneventful. As early as 1278, following the death of King Přemysl Otakar II, the abbey was plundered. The following centuries brought further hardship — the community suffered during the Hussite wars, and the Thirty Years' War proved an especially severe test of survival. During that conflict the abbey was looted no fewer than five times: in 1618, after Ernst von Mansfeld's forces captured Plzeň; in 1620, during an invasion by imperial troops; and again in 1639, 1645 and 1647, when Swedish troops raided the site.

When did the abbey experience a revival?

After the turbulent seventeenth century, a period of stability followed. Under provost Norbert Kastl, between 1666 and 1680, the abbey enjoyed one of the best periods of its early modern history.

What happened to the abbey after Joseph II's dissolution?

A pivotal and painful moment came in 1782, when Emperor Joseph II dissolved the abbey as part of his reforms. At that point 44 nuns were forced to leave the monastery. The buildings lost their original religious purpose for nearly a century, until 1878, when Premonstratensian sisters returned to Chotěšov. The nuns then ran a boarding school for girls on the site, and during the Second World War the complex housed a retirement home for women.

What happened to the abbey in the 20th century?

After the communist takeover, the nuns were once again expelled and the entire complex was taken over by the army, which used it for decades. Change came only in 1991, when the abbey passed under the administration of the municipality of Chotěšov. Since then, local authorities have carried out a gradual reconstruction of the monastic complex and have progressively opened parts of it to visitors.

Where exactly is the abbey located?

Chotěšov lies in the Plzeň Region, about 18 kilometres southwest of Plzeň, one of the largest cities in western Bohemia. The abbey's geographic coordinates are 49.6533 N, 13.1982 E.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Chotěšov Abbey? It was founded by Blessed Hroznata at the request of his sister Vojslava, with construction carried out between 1202 and 1210.

Which order lived at the abbey? Premonstratensian nuns, originally brought in from the community at Doksany.

When was the abbey dissolved, and did the nuns return? The abbey was dissolved in 1782 under Emperor Joseph II. Premonstratensian sisters returned to Chotěšov in 1878 and ran a girls' boarding school there.

Who manages the site today? Since 1991, the abbey has been administered by the municipality of Chotěšov, which is gradually restoring it and opening it to visitors.

How far is it from Plzeň? About 18 kilometres to the southwest.