POWIAT RACIBORSKI - GoRaciborz.pl

CISTERCIAN ABBEY
– RUDY
The beginnings of the Cistercian monastery
date from the first half of the 13th century.
Monks brought from Jędrzejów in Minor Poland
(Małopolska) built a Gothic Assumption of Virgin Mary
Church and a building with four wings for the enclosure.
In the 17th century thanks to substantial income from iron
ore mines and melting down of raw materials, the monks
rebuilt the church and the monastery in Baroque style,
building also a magnificent abbey palace from the northern
side. In 1810 the convent was cancelled by the Prussian king
and the order’s property went to the family of the Duke
von Ratibor. The latter decided to adapt the old monastery
and the palace into an aristocrat seat which was visited by
all European aristocracy together with crowned heads, like
Victoria Empress of Prussia and her son, Wilhelm II. In
1945 the church and the palace were burned down. Later
they were rebuilt. Nowadays Rudy is a diocese sanctuary of
Humble Mother of God in the gliwicka diocese, because of
a famous picture which is kept in the Baroque chapel of the
Cistercian church. The renovated old monastery and palace
are a pilgrimage centre and museum. Around there is a
magnificent park arranged in the first half of the 19th century
in English style. On the edge of the village at the road
to Gliwice there is a historic station, over 100 years old, the
narrow – gauge railway Racibórz-Rudy-Gliwice. In the old
engine house there is a museum of technology, and visitors
can take a ride in the old train all year round.
The church in Rudy is open from dawn to dusk. Visiting
the abbey – information on www.rudy-opactwo.pl, visiting
the station and taking a ride – information www.
rudy.go.pl
Fot. WAW