Kostanjevica Monastery, Franciscan monastery on a hill in Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Kostanjevica Monastery is a Franciscan monastery set on a hill between Nova Gorica and Pristava in Slovenia. The complex features stone buildings with a church containing a crypt beneath the altar and houses a library with a substantial collection of older books.
The site was established in 1623 as a Carmelite sanctuary but came under Franciscan control after Emperor Joseph II dissolved the religious orders in 1781. The monks took over the grounds in the early 19th century.
The name comes from an oak tree that once grew here, and the monks have used this place as a spiritual center for centuries. The community around the monastery developed gradually as pilgrims visited the church and the surrounding grounds.
The monastery sits on a hilltop and is accessible on foot, though the path offers little shade on the way up. The cooler months are best for visiting, and sturdy shoes are recommended.
The crypt beneath the church holds members of the French royal family, including King Charles X who died here in 1836. This unexpected link to European royalty shows how the monastery became a refuge for those far from home.
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