Sázava Monastery
The Sázava Monastery, founded around 1032 by St. Procopius, is one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Bohemia. The origins of the monastery are connected with the Old Slavonic liturgy, which was finally replaced by the Latin liturgy in 1097, when Abbot Děthard of Břevnov introduced Latin monks to Sázava. The monastery was rebuilt several times, especially during the Gothic reconstruction in the 14th century and Baroque modifications in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The monastery was dissolved in 1785 and in the following years it was converted into a castle. During the 20th century, the monastery underwent several periods of restoration, in particular the removal of inappropriate alterations and the restoration of discovered Gothic paintings. In 1951 the monastery was nationalised and later, in 1962, it was granted the status of a national cultural monument.
After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, some parts of the property were returned to the monastery and the next phase of restoration began. Today the monastery serves as a cultural and historical centre, and visitors can admire its rich history and architectural details, including the original Gothic crypt and Baroque frescoes