Dominican Monastery, 13th-century Dominican monastery in České Budějovice, Czech Republic

The Dominican Monastery is a medieval religious complex in České Budějovice, made up of the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, Gothic cloisters, and a tower topped with a Baroque cupola. The buildings combine medieval stonework with later additions from different periods.

Founded by King Ottokar II of Bohemia a few years before the city itself, which was established in 1265, the monastery was probably the first building in České Budějovice. The land was granted by the king's locator Hirzo of Klingenberg; a chapel of Saint Margaret is recorded in 1267 and the monastic church was consecrated in 1274. Fires in 1381, 1469, 1521, 1560 and above all 1723 forced repeated rebuildings, and Joseph II abolished the house in 1785.

The Gothic cloisters contain wall paintings from 1378 showing Emperor Charles IV and Wenceslaus IV under the protection of the Virgin Mary. These frescoes show what rank the monastery held as a religious center under the Bohemian rulers.

The monastery sits just a short walk from the old town center and is easy to reach on foot. It now houses a children's art school, so access to some areas may depend on when the school is in session.

The monastery was probably founded a few years before České Budějovice itself, which was established in 1265; a 1267 record mentions the Chapel of Saint Margaret, and the monastic church was consecrated in 1274. A 16th-century writer from the city, Jan Styral, also stated that the monastery predates the town.