Cistercian Abbey in Krzeszów

European Centre of Art and Theological Thought

Contributions by Marek Kwaśny Contributions by Malgorzata Wyrzykowska Contributions by Artur Kolbiarz Contributions by Grzegorz Grajewski Contributions by Ewa Łużyniecka Contributions by Bogdan Ferdek Contributions by Slawomir Stasiak Contributions by Andrzej Kozieł Edited by Andrzej Kozieł Edited by Sławomir Stasiak Edited by Rajmund Pietkiewicz Series edited by Rajmund Pietkiewicz Series edited by Piotr Burgoński

Book cover: Cistercian Abbey in Krzeszów

Extent: 203 pages

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Subjects: Art & Art History, Religious Studies

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(June 2025)

ISBN: 9783525500880

6.3 x 9.25 inches

Price: $124.00

In stock

The secularization of monastic properties in Silesia announced in 1810 brought an end to the existence of the Krzeszow abbey and its modern period of prosperity but a rich spiritual, cultural and material heritage remained. Today, it is still the subject of interdisciplinary scientific research aimed at describing the spiritual and artistic phenomenon of the Cistercian abbey in Krzeszow. On June 4, 2022, on the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Grace, a scientific conference “Krzeszow the House of Grace” took place. Several theologians, art historians, historians and musicologists took part in it. Its fruit is this volume.


Was the Cistercian abbey in Krzeszow really a European center of art and theological thought? This study in eight chapters tries to answer this question. The first chapter shows how deep the foundations of the Krzeszow Abbey go. The next three chapters are devoted to various works, initiatives and architecture of the Baroque era. First, the unique painting of Our Lady of Mercy in the Mater Misericordiae type, which was created in 1624, was presented. Then, the sculptural foundations of Abbot Geyer in the area of the Krzeszow abbey and in its latifundia were discussed. Finally, the architecture of the baroque abbey church, unique on a European scale, was presented. Grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This proves what an extraordinary center Krzeszow was in terms of the art created there. In the next two chapters, the reader finds the answer to the question: Was Krzeszow also a significant theological center in Europe at that time? First in terms of Catholic dogmatic, and then in terms of biblical linguistics. The study ends with two chapters, the first of which focuses on the sacralization of the landscape by introducing modern forms of imitation of the Holy Land and the cult of saints. The second one presents the baroque iconography of the Cistercian monastery in Krzeszow from the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century, which shows the changes in its social function over the centuries.

  • Contributions by Marek Kwaśny
  • Contributions by Malgorzata Wyrzykowska
  • Contributions by Artur Kolbiarz
  • Contributions by Grzegorz Grajewski
  • Contributions by Ewa Łużyniecka
  • Contributions by Bogdan Ferdek
  • Contributions by Slawomir Stasiak
  • Contributions by Andrzej Kozieł
  • Edited by Andrzej Kozieł
  • Edited by Sławomir Stasiak
  • Edited by Rajmund Pietkiewicz
  • Series edited by Rajmund Pietkiewicz
  • Series edited by Piotr Burgoński