Pleterje Monastery

Pleterje Monastery stands in a quiet wooded valley near Šentjernej, in the Lower Carniola region of southeastern Slovenia, between the Gorjanci hills and the Krka valley. It is a Carthusian monastery, the only one still active in Slovenia and one of very few in Central Europe, and it has been a place of silence and prayer for more than six hundred years. The Carthusians are one of the strictest orders of the Catholic Church, whose monks live largely alone in individual cells, share only limited times for prayer and meals, and keep silence for most of the day.

The monastery was founded in 1403 by Count Hermann II of Celje, a member of the powerful family that ruled much of the region, and its early history was shaped by the dangers of the age. The monks fortified the complex with walls and towers during the period of Ottoman raids, and it survived through the Reformation and the wars that followed. In 1784 Emperor Joseph II abolished most contemplative orders, including the Carthusians, and the monastery was closed and fell into decay. It was revived in 1899, when French Carthusians, expelled from their own country, took it over and rebuilt it according to the traditional plan of a charterhouse, with a great cloister and separate cells for each monk.

The monastery is a place of enclosure, and the main complex, with the cloister and cells, is closed to visitors. Visitors can enter the church, a Gothic building with a ribbed vault, which is open to the public, and can attend services when the monks sing their prayers. The experience is quiet, and the atmosphere is part of the attraction, so visitors are asked to dress modestly and keep silent. Photography is limited, and it is polite to follow any posted guidance.

The monks support themselves through farming and craft, and a shop near the entrance sells their products, including herbal liqueurs, honey, fruit juices and other items made on the estate. The apple orchards and fields around the monastery belong to the same working community. A short distance away, the open-air museum at Pleterje shows traditional rural buildings of Lower Carniola, and the nearby town of Šentjernej, known for its horse tradition, is easy to reach.

The monastery suits those seeking a quiet stop, history lovers, and travellers interested in religious heritage. Allow an hour or so for the church, the shop and a short walk in the grounds. Opening times for the church and the shop vary through the year and around services, so check locally before you go.