Cistercian Abbey in Krzeszow

European Center of Art and Theological Thought

edited by Andrzej Koziel, Slawomir Stasiak and Rajmund Pietkiewicz

Book cover: Cistercian Abbey in Krzeszow

Extent: 203 pages

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Subjects: Art & Art History, Religious Studies

Series: Eastern and Central European Voices

Series volume number: 10

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.

  • Edited by Andrzej Koziel
  • Edited by Rajmund Pietkiewicz
  • Edited by Slawomir Stasiak