Cistercians abbey Monastery St. Marienstern

image author: Peter Hennig

 

Cistercian Abbey Monastery St. Marienstern in Panschwitz-Kuckau, Sorbian Pančicy-Kukow

image author: Peter Hennig

Imbedded in the picturesque landscape of the Oberlausitz, between Bautzen and Kamens is the donated Cistercian abbey Monastery St. Marienstern in Panschwitz-Kuckau situated. It was built in 1248 by the lord of the castle Bernhard III as a thank you for his rescue from the swamps.
A nuns' convent live here still today by the order customs of the Cistercians and the rules of the holy father Benedict. Centre of the facility is the abbey church, a late-gothic three-aisled hall church, which was built in the second half of the 13th century. In 1721 the west gable was added in baroque style.
As every Cistercian church it also has no bell tower. Well worth seeing are the late-gothic winged altars as well as wall paintings from the 16th century.  The church windows are special. They depict images of different saints as well as emblem of noble families that were painted around 1375.

image author: Peter Hennig


The monastery courtyard offers the visitors among others the Nepomuk pillar, the fountain
with the Bohemian lion and the Marien pillar.
The treasure chamber presents ca. 150 mostly ecclesiastical and liturgical art treasures from the monastery in a permanent exhibition.
The monastery grounds also has a 6.000 square metres large environment and educational garden as well as the workshop for handicapped people St. Michel.

Further sights are offered by the villages Ostro (Wotrow) with a well preserved entrenchment (castle facility from pre and early historical times) and the village Schweinerden (Swinjarnja), which is completely under monumental protection with for the region typical round village (north German or west-Slav building style).