A Biblical Bookcase
Located a short distance from the South Moravian capital of Brno is the small town of Rajhrad. Here, you will find a Benedictine abbey dating to the mid-11th century, which holds the distinction of being the oldest monastery in Moravia.
While it is unclear whether the abbey began life as a monastery or some other category of church building, it functioned in the capacity of a monastery until 1813, when it was elevated to abbey status.
As one would expect with a structure of this age, history has been both cruel and kind to it in turn. It survived—though extensively damaged—a series of attacks and invasions throughout the 1200s. By contrast, much of the 1700s and 1800s saw extensive redesign and renovation of the structure; some of this work occurred under the supervision of the famed Czech architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel.
Santini-Aichel’s influence is still evident in the abbey today, most notably in the visible mix of Baroque and Gothic styles that became a hallmark of his work.
The monastery was abolished in 1950, and the building was handed over to the Czechoslovak army for a period, while other parts of the structure were used for crop storage. Following the fall of socialism, the Benedictine order returned to the abbey in the 1990s. Since then, constant repairs and restorations have been carried out on the buildings.
The Museum of Literature, an arm of the Brno Regional Museum, has been housed at the abbey since 2005. Its collection comprises significant Moravian literary works spanning the 9th to the 20th centuries.
Prayer and Print
In keeping with the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict—which states that monks in monasteries should spend significant time reading and studying—a well-stocked library has been part of the abbey from the very beginning. The monastery’s collection had grown to an appreciable size by the time the first official librarian and archivist were appointed in 1709.
The library continued to grow steadily until the end of the 19th century, when the abbey was forced to sell off parts of the collection due to financial difficulties.
Upon the abolition of the monastery in 1950, the library and archives came under the care of the State Research Library, later known as the Moravian Library. In the early 1970s, structural problems in the building necessitated the temporary removal of the collection from the abbey premises.
In the early 1990s, the library was returned to the care of the abbey and by 2004, after extensive structural stabilisation and restoration work to the library rooms, the books were returned to their places in the abbey.
In the early 1990s, the library was returned to the care of the abbey, and by 2004—after extensive structural stabilization and restoration work in the library rooms—the books were returned to their places. Since 2005, the library has been under the care of the Brno Regional Museum and open to the public through guided tours.
Unfortunately, though understandably, photography of the restored library areas is forbidden. However, there is an atmosphere to be experienced there that cannot be conveyed by photographs alone.
Beyond the incunabula, manuscripts, and books that make up the library, the abbey also holds an extensive collection of printed graphic works, along with maps and atlases housed in its museum. The museum further contains an array of artifacts reflecting centuries of Benedictine activity in the region.
Paying a Visit and Learning More
There is a great deal more to the abbey and its history than can be covered here. If you are even the slightest fan of old books and historic libraries, the abbey most certainly deserves a place on your travel itinerary if you find yourself passing through South Moravia.
Happily, Rajhrad is easily reached from Brno by rail, and the abbey is neither far nor a strenuous walk from the town’s railway station. Alternatively, there is a once-an-hour bus that runs directly from Rajhrad’s station to the abbey.
Tours of the abbey are conducted in Czech, though written transcriptions are available in other languages. Also located on the abbey grounds is a restaurant, where visitors can refresh themselves after touring the site.
This link will take you to the dedicated page for Rajhrad Abbey on the official website of the Brno Regional Museum, where current information about opening times and admission fees can be found.
Beyond Prague 