The Cistercian abbey of Our Beloved Lady in Vyšší Brod is currently the only living male monastery of the Cistercian Order in Bohemia. This is one of the most signifi cant cultural monuments in Southern Bohemia. This renowned Šumava monastery was founded by Petr Vok of Rožmberk in 1259. According to legend, it was an act of gratefulness aft er the nobleman’s miraculous rescue from the stormy waters of the Vltava River when he turned to the Virgin Mary while drowning. The abbey is a treasury of many valuable items, including one of the foremost gems of the goldsmith’s art – the 70-centimeter Záviš Cross made of pure gold and set with precious stones and pearls of the highest quality. This Cross allegedly comprises a relic of the cross on which Jesus Christ died. The Záviš Cross is one of the three most valuable gems in the Czech Republic (the other two include the crown jewels with the St. Wenceslas crown and the reliquary of St. Maur). Another great rarity is the famous picture of the Vyšší Brod Madonna which gives a special power to every prayer said in front of it. It is also worth mentioning that more than 70 thousand books are stored in Vyšší Brod, and the local library is the third largest monastery library in the Czech Republic. Its Rococo playfulness charms every visitor.
Attraction:
Under the chancel of the monastery Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary lies the main tomb of the Rožmberk family with almost 40 members of the family. The legend says that the Rožmberk rulers are buried sitting on golden thrones. However, a research made in the modern period by means of a probe refuted this fact and brought surprising results, which are illustrated in a multimedia exhibition in the monastery.