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91-728: The monastery was founded by the Silesian Duke Bolesław I the Tall , who had the monastery foundation charter drawn up in 1175. However, as early as 1163, monks from the Cistercian Abbey of Pforta arrived in Lubiąż and founded the new monastery on the then densely wooded bank of the Oder where it is now situated. Lubiąż developed into the most important monastery in Silesia and played a significant role in

182-518: A German; according to the historian Kazimierz Jasiński , she was probably a member of the comital house of Everstein , Homburg , or Pappenheim . They had seven children: In German and Polish historiography there exists a controversy about the relations between Silesia and the Holy Roman Empire in the early medieval period. According to some German historians the date of 1163, when Bolesław and his brothers were allowed to return to Silesia,

273-462: A decorated piscina in the Choir. The monastery church got its present form towards the end of the 13th century. The old Romanesque church was demolished and the foundations were partially used for its larger successor building. Bricks were again the principal material and stone was used for architectural detailing. The three-aisle floor plan with a straight end of the choir was retained and supplemented by

364-552: A further diminution of his authority when he was compelled to give Głogów to his youngest brother Konrad. After this defeat, Bolesław retired from the Polish political scene and concentrated his efforts on the rule over his duchy. His brother Konrad's death without issue in 1190 resulted in the return of Głogów to his domains. During the last years of his reign, Bolesław devoted himself to economic and business activity. Colonization, initially from poor German areas, substantially accelerated

455-555: A new organ was bought for 1000 thalers. Seven baroque paintings, intended for the choir, of the martyrdoms of the Apostles were commissioned for Michael Willmann at the same time. The interior of the church was comprehensively redesigned in Baroque style. From 1672 to 1682 the aisles were widened and decorated barrel vaulting added. The Gothic arches and the pillars of the central nave were fundamentally redesigned. "Open" chapels were laid out on

546-578: A personal hand in the rebuilding of the Abbey, seeing it as a means to reconstruct the influence of Catholicism in the area. One prominent example of the Abbey's role in the Counter-Reformation was the construction of St. Valentine's Parish Church in Lubiąż village. Despite these successes, the Protestant-settled villages and their Protestant rulers around the monastery restricted its growth and stymied

637-472: A rectangular ambulatory . The cruciform Gothic structure was vaulted, with vine-themed keystones enclosing the vaults. The transept and choir were completed and consecrated in 1330, and the vaults and western nave were completed in the late 14th century. The destruction wrought by the Hussites was only repaired in 1508. New chapels, an organ, and a tabernacle were also built in the early 16th century. In

728-574: A result of his extended travels. The king gave Władysław II and his family the town of Altenburg in Saxony . This was intended as a temporary residence, but Władysław II would spend the rest of his life there. Tired of a tedious life in Altenburg, Bolesław traveled to the court of his protector, King Conrad III. With him, the young Polish prince extensively took part in German political affairs. In 1148 he joined in

819-538: A revolt by Mieszko Tanglefoot in 1172. In a major disturbance in the Silesian ducal family, Mieszko supported Jarosław, the eldest son of Bolesław, who was resentful against his father because had been forced to become a priest due to the intrigues of his stepmother Christina, who wished for her sons to be the only heirs. The rebellion was a complete surprise to Bolesław, who was forced to escape to Erfurt , Germany. This time, Frederick Barbarossa decided to support Bolesław with

910-689: A short time in Bohemia, Władysław II and his family moved to Germany, where his brother-in-law, King Conrad III , offered his hospitality and assistance toward the high duke's restoration. At first, it seemed that the exile would just be for a few months, thanks to the family connections of Duchess Agnes; however, their hurried and insufficiently prepared expedition failed to cross the Oder River , and ultimately failed because of strong opposition from Władysław II's former subjects and problems Conrad III had within Germany as

1001-483: A strong armed intervention to restore him to his Duchy. Eventually Mieszko III the Old was sent by the high duke to calm the fury of the emperor and keep him away from Polish affairs. Mieszko III gave Barbarossa 8000 pieces of silver and promised him the restoration of Bolesław, who finally returned home at the beginning of 1173. However, despite his reconciliation with his brother and son, he was forced to divide Silesia and create

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1092-441: A swamp from which he could not extricate himself. In return for rescue from this perilous position, he vowed to build the abbey. With Hedwig's consent, her brother Ekbert of Andechs , then Bishop of Bamberg , chose the first nuns that occupied the convent. The first abbess was Petrussa from Kitzingen Abbey; she was followed by Gertrude, the daughter of Hedwig. The abbey was richly endowed with lands by Duke Henry. When Hedwig became

1183-545: A widow in 1238, she went to live at Trzebnica and was buried there. Up to 1515, the abbesses were the first princesses of the Piast dynasty and afterwards members of the nobility. It is said that towards the end of the thirteenth century the nuns numbered 120. The abbey also became a mausoleum of many rulers of the fragmented Silesian Piasts. In 1672 there were 32 nuns and 6 lay sisters, in 1805 there were 23 nuns and 6 lay sisters. The abbey suffered from all kinds of misfortunes both in

1274-832: Is considered to be the moment when Silesia separated from Poland and became part of the Holy Roman Empire . On the other hand, Polish historians claim that Władysław II the Exile 's sons, who were allowed to return by High Duke Bolesław IV the Curly, were simply typical Piast dukes who ruled in the divided Kingdom of Poland . (see more in Differing views of the Silesian Piasts ). Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica Sanctuary of St. Jadwiga in Trzebnica , also known as Trzebnica Abbey ,

1365-532: Is surrounded by 14 smaller medallions that continue the themes and are embedded in white stucco. Some antique furniture is displayed in the hall, along with various art exhibitions organized by the Museum of Silesian Regional Studies. With a length of 28.5 meters, a width of 14.8 meters, and a height of 13.9 meters, the Prince's Hall is the largest and most important room of the Abbey. Historian Georg Dehio described it as "

1456-578: Is the highest category for Polish monuments. In 1990 the Council of Europe decided to set up a Cistercian cultural route, connecting the Abbey to other Cistercian foundations in Europe. Intending to revive the monastery for investment, the Fundacja Lubiąż has attracted multiple possible buyers, including Michael Jackson , who toured the monastery after a concert in 1997. After some initial interest, he later gave up

1547-461: The Holy Roman Empire . With the aid by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa , however, his sons were restored to their Silesian heritage in 1163. Władysław's eldest son, Duke Bolesław I the Tall , had spent several years in German exile. When he assumed the rule of Lower Silesia , he invited Cistercian monks from Pforta Abbey on the Saale River (in present-day Thuringia ) and settled them in Lubiąż as

1638-576: The Second Crusade with Conrad III, during which he visited Constantinople and the Holy Land . Conrad III died in 1152 without having secured the return of Władysław II to Poland. His successor was his energetic nephew Frederick Barbarossa , whose service Bolesław almost immediately joined. The first action of the new German ruler, however, was not to help Władysław II, but instead to march against Rome and be crowned emperor . Bolesław accompanied him. It

1729-581: The Turks threatened Silesia. In 1742, in the aftermath of the First Silesian War and the Treaty of Breslau , Trebnitz found itself under the governance of Protestant Prussia and started to suffer from political discrimination. The last abbess, Dominica von Giller, died on 17 August 1810, and on 11 November 1810, the abbey was suppressed and secularized by order of King Frederick William III . The building, which

1820-568: The end of the communist dictatorship in Poland in 1989, repair work began again for the first time since 1937. For this purpose, a foundation for the monastery, the Fundacja Lubiąż , was established on September 9, 1989, which took full ownership of the monastery grounds. The foundation has been renovating the monastery with donations to since then. It receives financial support from the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation , among other sources. In 1996

1911-479: The settlement and development of Silesia . The monks of Lubiąż founded an additional six monasteries within Poland by 1256. The abbey is situated near a ford across the Oder river. Originally, the area had been a fortified site of pagan worship. This complex was presumably destroyed by 1109. Later, a Benedictine monastery and church of Saint James may have been established about 1150, but, if it had ever existed, had already been abandoned before 1163. At any rate,

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2002-506: The 17th century the church was redesigned several times, although it retained its Gothic structure. In keeping with the taste of the Renaissance, the interior was repainted in the early 17th century, and the choir was redecorated with a new high altar, pulpit and choir stalls. After the looting by the Swedes in 1638, the church had to be repaired again. Abbot Freiberger had the church renovated, and

2093-461: The Abbey crypt can still be identified (the mummy of Michael Willman), with the rest of the remains having been disturbed and eventually deposited into a pile. After the Red Army soldiers withdrew in 1950, the devastated monastery was not used and had no owner. Some rooms were used as storage, especially for leftover books, such as the summer refectory, in which books were stored up to the ceiling. After

2184-437: The Abbey. Due to the disenfranchisement of the great Catholic foundations, the Abbey's revenue sources quickly dried up. The Abbey buckled under high tax duties. Finally, the Abbey was dissolved on November 21, 1810. The holdings of the Abbey, including the contents of 59 villages and 32 agricultural holdings, were nationalized. A year later, after the closure, 471 valuable paintings, including several by Willmann, were relocated to

2275-442: The Abbey. These companies manufactured armaments using forced laborers from German-occupied Luxembourg , most notably manufacturing engines for V1 and V2 rockets. In January 1943, plans were drawn up to build high-voltage lines to the former monastery and a small sewage treatment plant was built. In addition, two new Oder crossings were built and the area was equipped with fog systems to protect it from enemy aircraft. In March of

2366-488: The Choir were mainly burned, with the remains being exhibited in Brzeg 's ducal castle . Some traces of the organ "nest" are still visible. The Old refectory, now Abbot's dining hall is located in the northern wing of the prelature. It was decorated between 1690 and 1691 by Michael L. Willmann. The frescos have Greek mythological themes, with a hero's apotheosis and the god Dionysus being displayed. The rectangular main painting

2457-522: The Generous , were built. The heyday ended abruptly with the Hussite Wars , which reached Silesia from 1428. Lubiąż was affected not only as a Catholic center, but also because of its riches. The Hussites plundered and pillaged the complex, devastated large parts of the monastery's villages and plunged Lubiąż into a long economic crisis. The monastery had hardly recovered from these raids and had just restored

2548-623: The Grand Prince's death from disease created general confusion in Kiev. Then in 1146, Bolesław had to return quickly to Poland to help his father. The few troops which he recruited were not enough to stop the general rebellion against Władysław II, who was completely defeated by the Junior Dukes. The deposed High Duke and his family initially escaped to the Prague court of Duke Vladislav II of Bohemia . After

2639-644: The Middle Ages and later: from famine in 1315, 1338, 1434, and 1617, from disastrous fires in 1413, 1432, 1464, 1486, 1505, 1595, and 1782. At the Protestant Reformation , most of the nuns were Poles, as were the majority until the eighteenth century. The abbey of Trebnitz suffered so greatly during the Thirty Years War that the nuns fled across the border on the territory of the most unaffected Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , as they did again in 1663 when

2730-639: The National Museum in Wrocław. Today the church is almost in its original Gothic appearance, as all baroque decorations having been removed or, like most of the altars, burned. The surviving altars and stalls were moved to a church in Stężyca in the immediate aftermath of the World War II in order to replace furnishings destroyed by the German invaders there. For instance, the so-called "angel stalls" that once decorated

2821-591: The Oder to the Swedish-occupied Szczecin . There the plundered riches fell victim to a fire in 1679. During the occupation, the monks had to flee to Wrocław, which was largely unaffected by the war. After the end of the war, the Counter-Reformation reached what was then Austrian Silesia . All over the Abbey's area, existing buildings were renovated and new buildings were built in the baroque style. Despite

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2912-522: The Silesian Duke Henry II. Henry's ancestor Boleslaw I is depicted founding the monastery. Putti with the monastery coat of arms climb up to his right. On the opposite side there is Maria Theresa in front of battle scenes, which depict the “victory of the Catholic faith over demons, vices and heresies”. The long sides show in the north of the scene of the marriage of Maria Theresa to Francis I , and

3003-399: The abbey became again part of Poland. Soldiers of the victorious Red Army were quartered in the empty complex, and a psychiatric hospital for them was set up. During this time, significant damage was inflicted upon the abbey, with interior decorations being deliberately defaced, wooden furnishings burned in stoves, and crypts being robbed for valuables. Consequently, only one set of remains in

3094-438: The abbey coat of arms with two supporters. The hall occupies two floors, and there is a gallery on the west side of the hall. Between the two rows of windows are ten scenes, by Christian Philipp Bentum, from the life of Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel . Busts of Habsburg rulers are placed above them. The ballroom was built in the last construction phase of the monastery from 1734 to 1738 and represents one of

3185-557: The abbey to play a significant role in the rebuilding of the country. However, a stagnation started following the death of Duke Henry II the Pious on April 9, 1241 at the Battle of Legnica . Succession disputes resulted in the general disintegration of Silesia over the next few decades. Nevertheless, monks from Lubiąż came to Kamieniec Ząbkowicki in 1246 to take over the town's 1210-founded Augustinian monastery, officially settling it in 1249 following

3276-451: The acquisition of the Duchy of Krakow in 1232, which made him Senior Duke of Poland. His rule ushered in a heyday of the monastery. In 1202 the monastery already owned 27 villages and towns, some of which it had built itself and some of which had been donated to it. In 1202 the couple established Trzebnica Abbey , which in 1220 became a daughter house of Lubiąż by order of Pope Honorius III . It

3367-550: The area was densely forested well into the 12th century. The area had been mainly inhabited by Poles , however, German settlement in the area slowly increased. At this time the area belonged to the Duchy of Silesia , bequeathed by Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland to his eldest son Władysław II in 1138. In a fratricidal conflict of the Polish Piast dynasty , Władysław was expelled by his younger brother and fled to Altenburg in

3458-498: The arrival of the Cistercian monks from Pforta, a wooden church had been built. With the increasing importance of the monastery, a new church became necessary, which was completed around 1200. The Romanesque church was a simple, three-aisle basilica . This corresponded to the rules of the Cistercian order. This church was the first brick vaulted building in Poland. Later re-buildings have erased most traces of this ancient church, save for

3549-494: The beginning of the medieval German Ostsiedlung to Silesia. About 1200 the abbey church was rebuilt, at that time the first Brick Gothic building in the region. When Duke Bolesław I died in 1201, he was buried under the high altar. The rise of Lubiąż continued under the rule of his son Duke Henry I the Bearded and his consort Hedwig of Andechs . Henry's reign brought a considerable increase in power in Silesia, including through

3640-401: The biggest project being the renewal of Gothic windows from 1934-1937. Apart from a few picture frames, the choir screens, the wrought-iron choir grille, and the restored polychrome ceiling paintings of the ducal chapel, nothing has been preserved of the interiors and furnishings of the monastery church. The tomb of Bolesław III, which once was the centerpiece of the ducal chapel, was moved to

3731-519: The capital of the Seniorate Province , ruled by his father as high duke and overlord of Poland. The reign of Władysław II was short and extremely stormy. The conflicts began when the high duke tried to remove his half-brothers, the junior dukes, from their districts. According to the chronicler Wincenty Kadłubek , the confrontation between the siblings was mainly instigated by Władysław II's wife, Agnes of Babenberg, who believed that her husband, as

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3822-458: The case of another war. In 1508, he had the abbey church, which had been in ruins since the Hussite invasion, restored. The expansive costs of this restoration were covered by the revival of the monastery economy. With the advent of the reformation in 1517, the 16th century did not begin promisingly for the monastery. Over the course of this century, the Abbey recorded ever-smaller entry numbers, and

3913-457: The church. At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was given a magnificent front with the new main facade. The new twin towers were crowned with baroque domes and the newly created space became the vestibule . From there a baroque portal led into the church. A Loreto chapel was also built north of the transept, in keeping with current European trends. Over the next few centuries, minor renovations and repairs to this structure were made, with

4004-471: The construction of the large gatehouse in 1601. This was followed by a renovation of the abbey Church from 1608 to 1636, which was refurbished in the baroque style. However, the Thirty Years' War brought yet another setback. The monastery was occupied by Swedish troops and their Saxon allies, who plundered the newly renovated Church. Significant portions of the monastery's library were plundered and sent down

4095-688: The country. In 1227, the Piasts founded Henryków Abbey , named after the sovereign, in Henryków , as the second daughter monastery of Lubiąż and the second Cistercian foundation in Silesia. In 1292, Cistercians from Lubiąż took over Kamieniec Monastery in Krzeszów), from the Benedictines who had founded it. The region was devastated during the first Mongol invasion of Poland in 1241. However, Lubiąż monastery and its monastic properties were miraculously spared, leading

4186-567: The duchies of Racibórz (granted to Mieszko) and Opole (to Jarosław). Four years later, it seemed that Bolesław was an alien from Mars the main objective of his life, the recovery of the Seniorate Province, and with this the title of high duke. He conspired with his uncle Casimir II the Just and his cousin Odon (Mieszko III's eldest son) to deprive Mieszko III the Old of the government. The coup gained

4277-624: The east, near Oświęcim , and in the north, in Greater Poland . The good financial situation made it possible to renovate the monastery buildings in a Gothic style, since the monastery church had become too small for the growing monastery. I 1307, the foundation stone for the new brick gothic basilica was laid. This phase of construction lasted for decades, and the current structure of the Abbey Church dates back to this era. In this time, several princely Chapels and tombs, such as that of Bolesław III

4368-601: The economic development of the duchy, and was continued by his son Henry I the Bearded . Bolesław founded the Cistercian Abbatia Lubensis abbey in Lubiąż with the collaboration of monks from Pforta , across the Saale River in Thuringia . Later the abbey became the Silesian ducal burial place. To safeguard his lands from other Piast princes, Bolesław obtained a protective bull from Pope Innocent III in 1198. There

4459-498: The efforts of the Counter-Reformation in Silesia. Because of the gradual defeat of Protestantism in Silesia, Lubiąż Monastery regained great cultural importance. In 1660, Arnold Freiberger had recruited the painter Michael Willmann to work for the monastery. Before that, Willmann worked at the Prussian court in Berlin and Königsberg , but he opened his workshop in Lubiąż in 1666, where he

4550-513: The eldest son, was the rightful sole ruler of the whole country. On the other hand, Salomea of Berg , widow of Bolesław III and Władysław II's stepmother, attempted to form alliances with foreign rulers and took every opportunity to secure the reign of her sons, the junior dukes. She feared that they would be relegated from their positions to make way for Władysław II's sons, the young Bolesław and his brothers Mieszko Tanglefoot and Konrad . The conflict erupted in 1141, when Salomea of Berg, without

4641-552: The facilities were extensively redone to fit their new uses. By the late 19th century, the Prussian state made extensive efforts to preserve the grand baroque interiors while keeping the asylum and stud farm open. In 1936, the stud farm housed in the monastery was relocated to Książ Castle . By 1942, the asylum was shut down for good, and the Abbey became the location of a Telefunken factory and research laboratories for developing radar receivers. A company called “Schlesische Werkstätten Dr. Fürstenau & Co., GmbH ” also set up shop in

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4732-452: The files housed in it were destroyed or lost. The functions of the monastery during World War II are still somewhat nebulous to this day due to this destruction. In 1985, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to commemorate the Luxembourg forced laborers who died at the Abbey. Despite the functions of the Abbey, it was never directly damaged during the war. Following the end of the war, in 1945,

4823-473: The first of their order in Silesia. Due to lack of funding and political turmoil, construction, which started in 1163, dragged on for years. The first monastery complex was finally completed 1175, when Duke Bolesław I issued the official foundation charter at Grodziec Castle . Through drainage works the monks reclaimed land in the swampy environs of the monastery, implemented three-field crop rotation and laid out vineyards. Their efforts were successful and marked

4914-415: The foundation suffered. In addition, Protestant polities such as the Duchy of Legnica greatly expanded their holdings at the expense of the weakened abbey. Although Silesia was returned to Catholic hands by 1526, the monastery was unable to reverse its decline. After almost two centuries of decline, the situation improved significantly under Abbot Rudolf von Hennersdorf. This development was initiated with

5005-607: The idea of buying the monastery. At the moment only very few rooms are used. The main preserved halls are open for group tours. In the Summer Refectory and in the northern part of the Prelature, there are rotating exhibitions on Silesian topics, organized by the Silesian House Association. The Fürstensaal was already used as a ballroom when it was built and today is used as a dignified venue for concerts and balls. In

5096-445: The intervention of Pope Innocent IV . The last monastery founded by Lubiąż monks was the monastery at Byszewo , which was founded in 1256. However, the monastery quickly dissolved and in 1288 relocated to what is today Koronowo Monastery . By the middle of the 13th century, Lubiąż Monastery had founded around 70 villages, settled by German colonists. By the 14th century Lubiąż became a cultural center of all East-Central Europe, with

5187-516: The knowledge of the high duke, decided to leave the land of Łęczyca , her dower , to her sons and tried to give her youngest daughter, Agnes, in marriage to one of the sons of Grand Prince Vsevolod II Olgovich of Kiev . Władysław II was faster, however, and he gave Grand Prince Vsevolod II several additional political advantages, including a marriage between Bolesław and Vsevolod II's daughter, Zvenislava , which took place in 1142. The Polish-Ruthenian alliance soon proved to be extremely important in

5278-426: The last renovation in 1937, no further repairs or renovations, were carried out, so the abbey fell into disrepair over the next few years. Additionally, the new Soviet-installed communist government had no interest in restoring Lubiąż, apparently seeing it as a monument to Catholicism and Ostsiedlung, both of which it was opposed to. In 1962, restorations were planned, but quickly abandoned due to lack of funds. After

5369-469: The last two decades, various propositions have been made for the future of the abbey, including one that plans to convert the Abbey into a convention center and luxury hotel, however, this proposition is not seen as feasible. To date, only the gatehouse has been restored and the roofs installed. Otherwise, the Foundation is overstretched, and the situation of the monastery is not seen as promising. Even before

5460-519: The library were painted in 1737 Philipp Bentum. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " Leubus ". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. Boles%C5%82aw I the Tall Bolesław I the Tall ( Polish : Bolesław I Wysoki ; 1127 – 7 or 8 December 1201) was Duke of Wroclaw from 1163 until his death in 1201. Boleslaw

5551-427: The major Silesian cities handed back by the high duke and obtained full control over all Silesia. However Bolesław, as the eldest brother, held overall authority. Three years after taking control over Silesia, Bolesław felt strong enough to lead a retaliatory expedition against High Duke Bolesław IV to try and recover supremacy over Poland. Bolesław's exercise of overall power at the expense of his younger brother caused

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5642-405: The meal. The frescoes have been completely renovated and the floor has now been re-done. The abbey library is located above the refectory of the convent building. It occupies the second and third floors, with a ceiling height of 12 meters. It is thought to be the largest baroque library in Silesia. The bookshelves which once furnished the room were lost after the abbey's dissolution. The frescoes in

5733-547: The monastery buildings when, in 1492, Jan II the Mad expelled the Cistercian monks and repurposed the monastery to a hunting lodge. The Cistercians were not able to return until seven years later, when Jan II retired to Frankfurt an der Oder in Brandenburg . In 1498, Andreas Hoffman became Abbot, continuing in this position until 1524. Hoffman returned the abbey back to its former purpose, and fortified it with stone earthen ramparts in

5824-689: The monastery school and library (scriptorium) being especially notable. The economic strength of the monastery was consolidated from 1322 onwards by several gold mines in the area of Złotoryja and other mines. In 1327 the Silesian duke Henry VI the Good declared himself a vassal of King John of Bohemia , and when he died without male heirs in 1335, his lands including Lubiąż fell to the Kingdom of Bohemia . The monastery continuously expanded its land holdings and owned extensive estates and around 65 villages with large agricultural estates in Silesia, but also had properties in

5915-415: The most magnificent ballroom of Silesia ".  It was restored from 1990–1995. The Prince's Hall forms the eastern end of the prelature, the long corridor of which leads to the exuberant baroque portal that occupies the entire front wall. The entrance to the Prince's Hall is framed by two larger-than-life atlases, an Indian and a Moor. The upper end of the polychrome portal frame, made of white stucco, shows

6006-499: The most magnificent of the European baroque. The walls and portals are altogether richly decorated with paint and stucco. The dominant work of art in the hall is the ceiling fresco, which extends over 360 square meters. These are ten paintings that are attached to the wooden ceiling construction and together make up "one of the greatest oil paintings on the ceiling in art history". Its creator Christian Philipp Bentum immortalized himself in

6097-483: The new Gemäldegalerie in Wrocław. The same was done with large portions of the monastery library and archives. During the wars of liberation against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1813, the monastery buildings found a new use as a hospital. After the end of the war, the hospital was no longer needed, so the Abbey was split between a royal stud farm (established in 1817) and an insane asylum (established in 1823). The abbey served these two purposes up until World War II , and

6188-399: The new complex were completed in 1699, but due to lack of funds further expansion of the complex was abandoned. Reich's successors continued the interior renovation of the monastery well into the 18th century. The abbots had a town house erected in Legnica, and perhaps the most visible feature of the modern Abbey, the double-towered facade, was completed. In 1727, a calvary hill was built near

6279-487: The north and south corners of the ambulatory, covered with domes and with altars of St. Benedict and St. Bernard. The domes were decorated with stucco and frescoes in 1691/92. In the ambulatory, a memorial for the eight bishops of Wrocław interred there and valuable choir grille were erected in 1701. In 1781 a new high altar was erected, an artistic collaboration between Michael Willmann and sculptor Matthias Steinl. In total, Michael Willmann created 14 large baroque paintings for

6370-415: The nucleus for a new monastery . Mogiła—which, according to the founding myth, was founded over the grave of Wanda, the daughter of the legendary founder of Kraków, Krak —became Lubiąż's first daughter monastery. Silesian dukes Henry the Bearded and later his son Henry II the Pious were urged by the Bishop of Kraków to use the economically and culturally successful monastery for the further development of

6461-421: The personifications of power and moderation, flanked by the victory of Chronos over Vanitas . The Summer (Main) refectory is housed on the ground floor of the southern end of the convent building. In terms of location, it is near the Prince's Hall, however, unlike the Prince's Hall, the refectory has a vaulted ceiling. The ceiling paintings dating to 1733 are by Felix Anton Scheffler, and show, in keeping with

6552-427: The restoration of the Prince's Hall was completed, the hall opened to visitors and in 2000. The Abbey's roofing was fully replaced, and the monastery buildings were secured in an elaborate process with hundreds of anchors embedded in the walls. As one of the most important baroque complexes in Europe and because of its great importance for Polish history, the abbey also has the status of a listed building of class 0, which

6643-461: The same year, Gauleiter Karl Hanke visited the plant with a delegation from Telefunken. In this time, any religious functions the Abbey still held were completely terminated to keep the factories and labs under strict secrecy. The Luxembourgish prisoners were either deported to other concentration camps or murdered by the Germans on the spot. On January 25, 1945, the entire facility was evacuated, and

6734-700: The senior duke, and they had not yet established any support within Poland. In addition, seating them would satisfy Barbarossa and thus keep him away from Poland. However Bolesław IV decided to maintain the security of his lands and retain the control over the main Silesian cities of Wroclaw , Opole , Racibórz , Głogów , and Legnica . After almost 16 years of exile, Bolesław returned to Silesia with his second wife, Christina (Zvenislava had died around 1155); his elder children, Jarosław and Olga; and his younger brother Mieszko Tanglefoot . The youngest brother, Konrad , remained in Germany. Bolesław and Mieszko initially ruled jointly and two years later (1165) both retook

6825-712: The south corner with a self-portrait and a signature including the year 1732. In the ceiling painting, the iconography of the Princely Hall reaches its climax with glorifications of the Silesian Piasts , who founded the monastery, the Habsburg Monarchy, to which Lubiąż owed its heyday, and the Catholic Church . On the edge of the western part of the ceiling painting is the defeat of the Battle of Liegnitz (1241) depicted with

6916-499: The struggle between Władysław II and the Junior Dukes. The final conflicts took place after the death of Salomea of Berg in 1144. It seemed that a victory for the High Duke - thanks to his military predominance - was just a matter of time. In fact, Władysław II was so confident of winning at home that he sent Bolesław to aid Grand Prince Vsevolod II during a revolt in Kiev. Unfortunately, Bolesław's expedition ended in complete disaster, as

7007-503: The support of Lesser Poland , which was mastered by Casimir and shortly afterwards Greater Poland sided with Odon. Bolesław, however, suffered a sudden and surprising defeat at the hands of his brother Mieszko and his son Jarosław who had allied with Mieszko III. This left the way free for Casimir II to be proclaimed High Duke, and Bolesław again had to escape to Germany. Thanks to the mediation of Casimir II, Bolesław returned to his Duchy without major troubles in 1177; however, he suffered

7098-516: The takeover and re-establishment of monasteries in different parts of Poland. In 1220 Pope Honorius III handed over the Cistercian Trzebnica Abbey , which was founded by Hedwig, to Lubiąż for supervision. Soon afterwards, the Bishop of Kraków Iwo Odrowąż summoned some Cistercians from Lubiąż to Lesser Poland in 1222 , gave them the village of Mogiła and donated the local monastery church as

7189-458: The throne. Two years later, on 30 May 1159, the disappointed former high duke died in his exile in Altenburg. Despite his dissatisfaction at the emperor's treatment of his father, Bolesław remained at the side of the emperor, participating in his many wars. From 1158 to 1162 he took part in the Barbarossa's expedition to Italy, where he won fame after killing a well-known Italian knight in a duel on

7280-401: The traditional Cistercian compulsion towards modest architecture, the open-minded monks did not object to the exuberant baroque renovations. Abbot Arnold Freiberger presided over this growth. The Abbey's many destroyed revenue sources were rebuilt, and many new ones were built. With the economic upturn, the enormous debts, especially taken on during the war, could be paid off. The Habsburgs took

7371-496: The use as a dining room at the time, the biblical scene of the Miracle of Loaves and Fishes . The large fresco is surrounded by eight smaller, oval paintings that show scenes from the lives of Bernard of Clairvaux and Benedict of Nursia . A curved portal made of black marble with the year 1706 shows an extract from the rule of the order leads into the hall: “ SUMMUM FIAT SILENTIUM AD MENSAM. CAP: 38 REG: “, which indicates silence during

7462-558: The village of Lubiąż . While the monastery benefited from the Habsburg rulers and the Counter-Reformation led by them, the Abbey's heyday was abruptly ended in 1742. After the First Silesian War , victorious Prussia was awarded almost all of Silesia, and with it Lubiąż Abbey, in the Treaty of Berlin . Even though the Protestant Prussians were, in principle, tolerant of Catholic beliefs, state Protestantism inevitably took its toll on

7553-491: The walls of Milan . Bolesław's faithful service to the emperor was finally rewarded in 1163, when Barbarossa succeeded through diplomacy in restoring to the descendants of Władysław II their inheritance over Silesia . By an agreement signed in Nuremberg , Germany, Bolesław IV agreed to accept the return of the exiled princes. He did so because, after the death of Władysław II, his sons could not directly challenge his authority as

7644-761: Was a convent for Cistercian nuns in Trzebnica , north of Wrocław , in Lower Silesia , Poland . Founded in 1203, it was abandoned for a few decades during the 19th century, and was subsequently taken over by the Sisters of Mercy of St. Borromeo in 1889. The abbey was established by the Silesian Piast Duke Henry I the Bearded and his wife Saint Hedwig of Andechs ( Polish : Święta Jadwiga Śląska ), confirmed by Pope Innocent III . The legend of its foundation relates that once Duke Henry when out hunting fell into

7735-797: Was a reconciliation between Bolesław and his eldest son, Jarosław, who was elected bishop of Wrocław . This enabled him, after Jarosław's death on 22 March 1201, to inherit Opole, which was again reunited with his lands. Bolesław survived his son by only nine months, however, and died on 7 or 8 December 1201 in his castle in Leśnica  [ pl ] , west of Wrocław. He was buried in the Lubiąż Cistercian monastery which he had founded. In 1142 Bolesław married his first wife Zvenislava (d. ca. 1155), daughter of Grand Prince Vsevolod II Olgovich of Kiev. They had two children: By 1157, Bolesław married his second wife Christina (d. 21 February 1204/1208),

7826-423: Was able to carry out lucrative orders not only for Lubiąż but also for other Cistercian institutions in the area. In the 40 years that he spent in Lubiąż, the abbey became a center of Silesian baroque painting, thanks in part to its skilled workshop staff. Willmann died in 1706 and was buried in the monastery crypt, even though he was not a monk, as an expression of gratitude towards the artist. In 1672, Johann Reich

7917-555: Was elected Abbot of Lubiąż. Abbot Reich continued the work of his predecessor until 1691 and the good financial situation of the monastery enabled him to redesign the monastery. The first construction project, the renovation of the princely chapel, started in 1670 under Reich's predecessor, Freiberger, and was completed ten years later. The redesign of the monastery church of the Assumption took place from 1672 to 1681. The predominantly Gothic monastery buildings were torn down. The two wings of

8008-562: Was followed by the establishment in 1222 of Mogiła Abbey (nowadays part of Nowa Huta ) in Lesser Poland and Henryków Abbey in 1227. In 1249 the monks of Lubiąż took over the former Augustinian abbey of Kamieniec and in 1256 even established a monastery at Byszewo in Kuyavia , relocated to Koronowo in 1288. The 13th century also brought with it an expansion of the reformist Cistercians originating from Lubiąż, which manifested itself in

8099-438: Was not until 1157 that the emperor finally organized an expedition against Poland. It is unknown whether Bolesław, his brothers, or his father directly participated in the expedition. However, despite the military victory and the humiliating submission of High Duke Bolesław IV the Curly to Frederick Barbarossa, the emperor decided to maintain the rule of Bolesław IV and the junior dukes in Poland, and not to restore Władysław II to

8190-449: Was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg , daughter of Margrave Leopold III of Austria , and half-sister of King Conrad III of Germany . Bolesław spent his childhood in the court of his grandfather and namesake, Bolesław III Wrymouth , in Płock . It was not until 1138, after the death of Bolesław III, that he moved with his parents to Kraków , which became

8281-418: Was very extensive, was sold later and turned into a cloth factory. In the late 19th century, the ruined abbey was bought by Knights Hospitaller and later by the female order of Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo as a hospital conducted by the sisters. The church, a basilica with pillars in the late Romanesque style, to which Baroque additions were made from 1741. It features several paintings with scenes from

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