Nové Hrady Monastery

The Monastery of Divine Mercy in Nové Hrady is a Servite friary attached to the Church of St Peter and Paul, sitting on the edge of the small South Bohemian town of Nové Hrady, close to the Austrian border. Despite sometimes being labelled a Capuchin house, it was built and run by the Servite Order and today is in the care of the Family of Mary community.

Who founded the monastery, and why?

The story starts with a battlefield vow. Count Ferdinand Bonaventura Buquoy, lord of the Nové Hrady estate, was seriously wounded during a campaign against the Ottomans in 1664 and reportedly promised that, should he survive, he would found a monastery in honour of the Virgin Mary. He kept that promise more than a decade later: in 1677 he invited Servite friars — the Servants of Mary — to settle in Nové Hrady, and the cornerstone of the early Baroque monastery building was laid on 27 May 1678, next to the town's parish church of St Peter and Paul. Construction wrapped up in 1685.

What happened to the community over the following centuries?

The Servite order once ran eight houses in the Czech lands, but Emperor Joseph II's church reforms shut down six of them, leaving only Nové Hrady and Králíky standing. Králíky eventually closed too, in 1883, for lack of friars, and in 1886 the Nové Hrady house was reorganised under the order's Tyrol province. The monastery kept functioning without interruption right up to 1945.

Why did the monastery fall into disrepair?

After the Second World War, twelve friars were relocated and the building was handed over to the border guard, who turned it into a barracks — an occupation that badly damaged the historic fabric. The monastery kept deteriorating until 1991, when it was formally returned to the Servite order. Its physical restoration and spiritual revival are closely tied to Father Bonfilius, whose efforts are credited with both repairing the building and bringing religious life back to it. The last Servite friar in Nové Hrady died in 2005, and on 30 September 2006 responsibility for the monastery passed to Pro Deo et fratribus – Family of Mary, a Vatican-recognised missionary community that still runs it today.

What can visitors actually see and do there?

The Church of St Peter and Paul is freely open to visitors in July and August, with free guided tours on weekends during those months; outside that window, or on weekdays, tours have to be booked in advance by phone. A short distance away, the Church of Our Lady of Consolation in Dobrá Voda is open year-round for individual visits, and groups of five or more can arrange a guided tour. The monastery itself also takes overnight guests looking for a quiet retreat, with 21 rooms and 67 beds, plus access to a Baroque refectory, library, garden and chapel. Beyond accommodation, the resident community runs creative workshops, a ceramics club, a mothers' club, excursions, concerts, exhibitions, lectures and language courses, alongside retreats and pilgrimages. Daily Mass is held — Saturdays at 8:00, Sundays at 9:00, and on weekdays with adoration at 4:20 pm.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Nové Hrady monastery a Capuchin monastery? No. It was founded in 1678 as a Servite (Servants of Mary) house by Count Ferdinand Buquoy, and today is run by the Family of Mary community.

Can I visit without booking ahead? In July and August the church is open freely and weekend tours are free without booking. At any other time, call ahead to arrange a guided visit.

Is it possible to stay overnight at the monastery? Yes — the monastery has 21 rooms with 67 beds for guests seeking spiritual renewal, along with a garden, library and Baroque refectory.

Why did the building fall into such poor condition? After 1945 it was taken over by the border guard and used as barracks, which caused serious damage. Restoration only began after the building was returned to the Servite order in 1991.