Dušan Koman

The former Cistercian monastery lies beneath Opatova Gora (Abbot's Mountain), somewhat south of the little medieval town of Kostanjevica, mentioned as a town already in 1252. South of the abbey rises the mountain range of Gorjanci and there is also the beautiful Karst cave Kostanjeviška Jama to the east. The monastery was founded in the 13th century and dissolved during the reforms by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II. The restored building now houses the Gallery of Božidar Jakac with rich permanent collections; annual meetings of sculptors called Forma Viva were held here from 1961 to 1988, while the former monastery church is now occasionally used for painting exhibitions.

The »Fons sanctae Marie« monastery was founded in 1234 by Bernhard von Spanheim, the Duke of Carinthia. In view of the fact that the general chapter of the Cistercian order already considered a request for the settlement of monks two years before the formal founding, the idea must have arisen as early as around 1230. The first monks from its parent monastery of Vetrinj in Carinthia therefore arrived before the official founding. In 1247, Pope Innocent IV confirmed the founding of the monastery, and two years later Bernard von Spainheim endowed it with estates and the patronage over the parish of Kostanjevica. Written sources and stylistic features of the sculptural decorations show that the building of the monastery took place over a long period of time. It was begun in the 1320's with the east section. This is confirmed by the fact that Judith, wife of the Duke, who died prior to the year 1236, was buried beside the main altar of the monastery church of Kostanjevica. The nave of the church was built later, but following original schemes. In the mid-15th century, the naves were shortened on their west side and a storied chapel was built there. Later it was raised into a belfry. In the 17th and the 18th century, the church was given a Baroque character. After 1786, when the monastery was dissolved during reforms by the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, the building begun to deteriorate rapidly. The monastery was restored in the mid-20th century when in was given its present appearance and later also its function.