Rajhrad – Monastery, Culture and Floodplain Forest

Rajhrad combines monastic history with literary culture, historic sites and tranquil experiences in nature. The Benedictine monastery is the oldest monastery in Moravia and provides the strongest starting point for a stay that combines culture and nature. Around the monastery, you can also discover an educational and experiential route, an adjacent floodplain forest and further testimonies to Rajhrad’s history.

Monastery, Literature and Historic Sites

The history of the Benedictine monastery goes back a long way. In 1718, the planning work for the Baroque expansion was assigned to Jan Blažej Santini Aichl. The monastery complex is home to the Památník písemnictví na Moravě, which opened in 2005 in the gradually restored Baroque monastery complex. Thus, monastic architectural history and literature meet at the same historic site.

The parish church of Povýšení svatého Kříže also represents Rajhrad’s Baroque character. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1765 and 1766; the design is attributed to Santini. Other historic stops include Stará pila, a technical monument renovated by the Rajhrad Benedictines in 1763, and the Rajhradský mlýn. Its first written mention dates back to 1092.

A small museum in the monastery of the Sisters of the Consolation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus offers another perspective on the history of the town. The exhibits illustrate the congregation’s dramatic fates. On the grounds of the horticultural school, a monument unveiled in 1973 also commemorates General Kozyr. Those interested in different historical periods will therefore find not just one attraction in Rajhrad, but several clearly distinct themes.

Walking Routes, Floodplain Forest and the Way of St. James

The Poznáváme Rajhradsko educational and experiential route is available for active exploration. It is 25.5 km long in total and consists of two circular sections. This division distinguishes the route from a single long circuit and opens up various ways to explore the landscape and thematic stops of Rajhradsko.

A walk through the adjacent floodplain forest is also one of the options when visiting the Benedictine monastery. The Way of St. James leads into the monastery complex, which is also home to the Památník písemnictví na Moravě. This allows the place to be experienced from several perspectives: as a historic monastery, as a stop along a pilgrimage route and as a starting point for a stay in nature.

In the U staré pily quiet zone, a boathouse for water sports is located in a former arm of the Svratka River. The site adds a connection with the landscape and water to Rajhrad’s cultural profile, without allowing the monastery’s historic highlights to fade into the background.

Rajhrad as a Place to Stay

When looking for accommodation, you can choose Rajhrad according to your preferred focus: the monastery and historic cultural sites, the 25.5-kilometre route with its two circular sections, the floodplain forest or a date of the traditional fair held annually in Rajhrad. For families with different interests, this combination offers several starting points for shared discoveries without limiting the stay to just one type of experience.

Further Places to Research

For further orientation, you can also find Žďárec, Níhov, Zastávka, Tišnovská Nová Ves, Ostrovačice, Žatčany, Hvozdec and Veverská Bítýška.

For the higher-level travel overview: Brno-Country District.