Klášter Broumov

About the museum

The Broumov monastery was founded in the 13th century, when Bohemian King Přemysl Ottokar I entrusted the surrounding estate to the Benedictines of Břevnov in Prague. The Church of St Adalbert grew up on the site of an earlier fortified house, and the monastery initially functioned as a provostry dependent on Břevnov. After the Hussites burned Břevnov in 1420, Abbot Mikuláš II withdrew to Broumov with several monks and brought with him the valuable manuscript Codex gigas; from 1648 it has been in Sweden as war booty.

The complex acquired its present Baroque form mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries. The church was rebuilt by Martin Allio of Löwenthal and completed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, who together with his father Kryštof also designed the reconstruction of the convent and the prelature. The interiors were decorated by leading artists of Prague Baroque. In 1999 a copy of the Turin Shroud from 1651 was found in the monastery church; it is now displayed in the refectory.

After 1948 the Benedictines were expelled, and from 1950 the monastery served as an internment camp for monks and later nuns, and in the second half of the 20th century as an archive. After restitution in 1990 the buildings were returned to the Benedictines. The monastery is a national cultural monument; it was extensively repaired in 1995–2014, and after its revitalisation in 2014 the Broumov Education and Culture Centre was established there. Today it hosts tours, the Lapidárium Children’s Gallery, the Dům Gallery, a café, a restaurant and a guesthouse.

Highlights

• refectory with a copy of the Turin Shroud from 1651
• Baroque Church of St Adalbert with rich fresco and stucco decoration
• Abbots’ Gallery
• wooden cemetery chapel of the Virgin Mary, one of the oldest all-timber sacred buildings in Central Europe
• Lapidárium Children’s Gallery with contemporary art for children
• freely accessible monastery garden

Permanent exhibitions

• Klasické prohlídky kláštera – Tour of the historic interiors with the refectory and the copy of the Turin Shroud, the Abbots’ Gallery and the Baroque Church of St Adalbert.
• Hřbitovní kostelík Panny Marie – The wooden chapel in the Broumov cemetery is one of the oldest all-timber sacred buildings in Central Europe. It stands out for its half-timbered construction of oak beams and its original painting.

Operated by

Klášter Broumov servisní s.r.o. (provozovatel prohlídek)

Admission & discounts

The prices given apply to the classic monastery tour. Visitors who first visit the wooden cemetery chapel receive a 20% discount on the monastery tour. Entry to the monastery garden is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The operator states that the classic tour is suitable for people with reduced mobility. A regional tourism portal describes the site as partly suitable for wheelchair users and suitable for pushchairs. The wooden cemetery chapel is a historic timber building, and its accessibility is not described.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly

For children there are the children’s tour Žít baroko (from age 6), the interactive medieval scriptorium suitable for families, and the Lapidárium Children’s Gallery with exhibitions of contemporary art aimed mainly at children. Children under 5 enter tours free, and a family ticket is available.

Getting there & parking

From Prague, take the D11 to Hradec Králové, then the E67 to Náchod and road 303 to Broumov.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant

On the site are Café Dientzenhofer and the U Tří růží restaurant. The Guesthouse offers accommodation in the converted monks’ cells, and the Benedictine cellars host tastings. The ticket office is next to the café. Bicycle and luggage storage is in the Cyklodům (cycle house).

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 280 guests.

Available are the Abbots’ Halls (5 halls of 40 people each), the multifunctional Dřevník hall (up to 280 people), the Kreslírna hall (80 people), the Church of St Adalbert (up to 250 people), the monastery garden (up to 100 people), and the hall of the U Tří růží restaurant (72 people) for wedding banquets.

Plan your visit