The former Cistercian monastery

Cistercian monks came to Bierzwinek in June 1294. The monks were allowed to begin their activities in the already built monastery in 1286. All Cistercian monasteries had a characteristic design, developed in the ninth century by Benedictine monks at St. Gallen.

To adapt the monastery to the rules of the order, it was divided into two parts. One part was intended only for ordained brethren, and the other - for lay brethren. The complex included a church with an inner part called the cloister, where the monks could lead everyday life.

It was destroyed by the fire at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and in 1945 for the second time. In the years 1957-1960, only the eastern and southern wings were rebuilt, but were turned into a rectory. The other parts of the foundations have been being renovated since 2002.

As a result of numerous archaeological research, it is able to reconstruct the original appearance of the monastery. It is similar to the monastery in Kołbacz, which was the architectural model. There used to be a church with a three-winged cloister, galleries and a granite well in a patio.

Architectural research led to exposing elements such as a crypt in the church choir, heating systems, water channels, the remains of a water mill. This means that the activities of the Cistercian monks were of both religious and economic manner.

Currently, the former monastery belongs to Our Lady of the Scapular Parish Church in Bierzwnik.

Services: Sun.: 8:30 a.m., 12:30a.m., winter weekdays: 5:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. in summer).