Nová Říše: Monastery, Ceramics and Literature

Culture and history shape a visit to Nová Říše: the Premonstratensian monastery, its church and library, and its connections to crafts and literature. A Stations of the Cross route and various cycling routes add to these themes. Parts of the monastery are open to the public as part of guided tours; visitor arrangements may vary.

Monastery Tours and History

The Premonstratensian monastery was founded as a convent for women in 1211 and later converted into a monastery for men. The tours cover various parts of the monastery complex: the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the Chapel of Saint Anne, and the Baroque library, as well as exhibition rooms, a music hall, the prelature, an art gallery, and a treasury. A tour therefore brings together sacred spaces, the library, art, and other parts of the monastery. If you are planning a tour, check the current visitor arrangements before your visit; these may vary.

Church, Library and Ceramics

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul dates from the second half of the 17th century. Its rare interior features include frescoes, an organ, a wooden pulpit, and wooden pews. The church’s date and furnishings give it a distinct place in the monastery tour: alongside the monastery’s history, you can also focus on the design of the interior.

The monastery library contains more than 20,000 volumes. Four rare 18th-century herbarium volumes connect the collection with the so-called Novoříšská keramika: they served as models for its decoration. The monastery complex also houses the exhibition “Hall of Pavel and Antonín Vranický.”

Literature and the Stations of the Cross

Almost all of Otokar Březina’s poetic works were written in Nová Říše. This literary connection offers a different cultural and historical perspective from a visit to the monastery’s rooms and collections.

Another point of interest is the Stations of the Cross route in Nová Říše. It consists of a cross and thirteen brick niche chapels. The chapels share a uniform architectural design dating from the second half of the 19th century. While the church and library focus on interiors and collections, the Stations of the Cross can be viewed primarily through their built form and the chapels’ shared design.

Cycling Routes with Different Features

The cycling tour from Telč to Želetava follows the red trail markings and a cycling route to Nová Říše. This specifies a particular direction of travel and trail marking. Route conditions may change; check the route before setting out.

The “Duše Regionu Renesance” route leads away from well-known tourist centers to wooded, remote places and up to hilltops. The two route descriptions highlight different features: for the ride to Nová Říše, the direction and trail marking are emphasized; for “Duše Regionu Renesance,” the landscape and its setting away from well-known centers. This can help you decide whether you are looking for a described cycling connection or a route through more remote landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Mirošov, Bohuslavice, Růžená, Větrný Jeníkov, Hostětice, Kamenná and Jihlava, Kaliště U Horních Dubenek, Klatovec

Return to the main travel overview: Jihlava District.