Dolní Kounice: Monastery, Jewish heritage and cycle path

Dolní Kounice brings together traces of its monastic history, Jewish heritage and a cycle path along the Jihlava. When planning your stay, you can decide whether to focus on historic sites or include a cycling route as well.

Rosa Coeli and the history of the monastery

The Rosa Coeli monastery was founded in 1181 by the Premonstratensian order, not far from the centre of Dolní Kounice. It was originally the oldest convent for women in Moravia. This makes a distinctive part of the region’s monastic history the focus: its foundation date and historical context reach far back, giving the site a different emphasis from the later heritage sites in the town.

An audio guide was introduced for visitors in 2019. It allowed them to tour the monastery at their own pace using a mobile phone and headphones. If you are considering this audio guide as part of your plans, check before travelling whether it is currently available; the information that it was introduced in 2019 does not indicate whether it is available today.

Synagogue and Jewish cemetery

The Dolní Kounice synagogue was built between 1652 and 1655 in the early Baroque style and is one of the oldest synagogues in Moravia. During the monument’s opening hours, guided tours with commentary start on the hour. As visiting times may change, it is advisable to check the current opening hours before travelling. This will help you fit the tour into your day without assuming a particular time.

The cemetery, founded in 1680, is also part of the Jewish heritage. It contains around 1,500 gravestones arranged irregularly. Their approximate number and arrangement give a distinct impression of this historic site; the synagogue and cemetery represent different aspects of Jewish heritage in Dolní Kounice.

Castle, chateau and views over the town

Dolní Kounice Castle and chateau were originally built to protect the monastery. Their history adds the connection between the monastery and its defence to the story of Rosa Coeli. Guided tours with commentary are available to visitors. As schedules may change, check the current tour times before your visit.

The Chapel of St Anthony offers a different view of Dolní Kounice: from there, the panorama extends across the whole town and the surrounding area. This viewpoint adds a scenic dimension alongside the historical themes. If you would like to take in both the architecture and the view over the town during your stay, these offer two distinct focuses for your plans.

Cycling along the Jihlava

The paved Ivančice–Dolní Kounice cycle path is 4 km long and follows the Jihlava River through picturesque countryside. It opened to the public in September 2025 and is reserved exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians. Its length and surface provide specific details about the route; the restriction to these two user groups should be taken into account when planning.

This makes the cycle path clearly distinct from the historic sights: the focus here is on a defined route, while the monastery, synagogue, cemetery and castle or chateau shape the town’s history. If you are looking for a hotel in Dolní Kounice, you can start by considering which of these focuses matters most for your stay. For tours and the audio guide, it is also worth checking the latest visitor information.

Discover more destinations: Tišnovská Nová Ves, Synalov, Vohančice, Úsuší, Žďárec, Nová Ves, Šerkovice, Mokrá-Horákov

For the broader travel overview: Brno-Country District.