Trip to The Cistercian Abbey and The Palace Complex in Rudy

Located on the European Cistercian track, it is one of the most valued monuments of the Upper Silesia region.The monastery was built in 1252. The monks came from Jędrzejów in Lesser Poland to an undeveloped land in the valley of the Ruda river. The duke Władysław Opolski gave the biggest economic privilege to Rudy in 1258. The goods that were granted to the Cistercians were free of tribute and all other taxes. Just after the Cistercians had come to Rudy they started to colonize the area. Monks dealt with fish farming, brewing, apiculture, production of charcoal and tar and since the 16th century also with forging.The monks were ordered to leave the monastery in 1810 because thePrussian government secularized all monasteries in PrussiaThere was an army hospital in the abbey in the years 1813-14. In 1820 the estates of Racibórz, including the he former estates of the abbey in Rudy, were given to landgrave Victor Amadeus von Hessen-Rotenburg who became one of the biggest land owners in Upper Silesia. He chose the post-monastic complex in Rudy for his residence. The residence must have been truly impressive if the emperor of Russia Alexander I visited this place twice – in 1820 and in 1822. The buildings of the monastery and of the palace were adapted to a new function and their surroundings were converted into an impressive park. During the last days of the World War II the fire destroyed the church and the residence. .After the war the church has been renovated but the rest of the complex has been left as a ruin. A new stage of the post-cistercian complex started with passing the buildings and the park to a diocese of Gliwice. It was done in 1998.It enabled to start vast revitalization the first part of which came to an end in 2008. One year later in the renovated buildings of the former monastery Educational-Formational Centre of Diocese of Gliwice started its activeness. Also in 2009 a pope Benedict XVI raised the shrine in Rudy to the rank of Minor Basilica.

In front of the Cistercian Abbey in Rudyand abbey’s patio

The ruined abbey after the World War II and at present

Meeting with the Cisters, who is explaining the monk’s rule ”pray and work.”

Painting workshop in the abbey

Gothic church in Rudy

Park with beautiful autumn trees and a pond

Our guide explains, how the Cistercians produced iron ore

Smelting iron ore in the special stove in the temperature of 1500C. Now it is time to open the stove and take out the iron.

Hania is working as a blacksmith

Workshop in the open air. We are making roses out of leaves.

The meal at bonfire in the open air in the end of our trip.It was fantastic time.