Lubiąż Abbey (; ) is a former
Cistercian
The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
monastery in
Lubiąż, in the
Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Lower Silesian Voivodeship (, ) in southwestern Poland, is one of the 16 Voivodeships of Poland, voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divided. It covers an area of and has a total population of 2,899,986.
It is one of the wealthiest ...
of southwestern
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
, located about northwest of
Wrocław
Wrocław is a city in southwestern Poland, and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. It is the largest city and historical capital of the region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the Oder River in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Eu ...
. With a main facade measuring , Lubiąż is one of the largest abbeys ever constructed.
The monastery was founded by the Silesian Duke
Bolesław I the Tall
Bolesław I the Tall (; 1127 – 7 or 8 December 1201) was Duke of Wrocław from 1163 until his death in 1201.
Early years
Boleslaw was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold II ...
, who had the foundation charter drawn up in 1175. Monks from the Cistercian
Abbey of Pforta founded the new monastery on the then-densely wooded bank of the
Oder
The Oder ( ; Czech and ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and its largest tributary the Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows through wes ...
. Lubiąż developed into the most important monastery in Silesia and played a significant role in the
settlement and development of
Silesia
Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...
. It founded six
daughter houses and owned dozens of villages and manors, making the abbey wealthy and able to withstand several wars and crises. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was rebuilt as one of the largest and most representative examples of
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to ...
in Silesia.
It was disestablished after the
First Silesian War
The First Silesian War () was a war between Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia and Habsburg monarchy, Austria that lasted from 1740 to 1742 and resulted in Prussia's seizing most of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland) from Austria. The ...
and used by the Prussian state until the end of World War II, after which it was plundered and fell into abandonment. After the
fall of communism in Poland
Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemispher ...
, gradual restoration works began, which continue to the present.
History
The abbey is situated near a ford across the
Oder
The Oder ( ; Czech and ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and its largest tributary the Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows through wes ...
river. Originally, the area had been a fortified site of pagan worship. This complex was presumably destroyed by 1109. Later, a
Benedictine
The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monastery and church of Saint James may have been established about 1150, but, if it had ever existed, had already been abandoned before 1163. At any rate, the area was densely forested well into the 12th century. The area had been mainly inhabited by
Poles
Pole or poles may refer to:
People
*Poles (people), another term for Polish people, from the country of Poland
* Pole (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Pole (musician) (Stefan Betke, born 1967), German electronic music artist
...
, however, German settlement in the area slowly increased.
At this time the area belonged to the
Duchy of Silesia
The Duchy of Silesia (, ) with its capital at Wrocław was a medieval provincial duchy of Poland located in the region of Silesia. Soon after it was formed under the Piast dynasty in 1138, it fragmented into various Silesian duchies. In 1327, t ...
, bequeathed by Duke
Bolesław III Wrymouth
Bolesław III Wrymouth (; 20 August 1086 – 28 October 1138), also known as Boleslaus the Wry-mouthed, was the duke of Lesser Poland, Silesia and Sandomierz between 1102 and 1107 and over the whole of Poland between 1107 and 1138. He was the onl ...
of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
to his eldest son
Władysław II in 1138. In a fratricidal conflict of the Polish
Piast dynasty
The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented List of Polish monarchs, Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I of Poland, Mieszko I (–992). The Poland during the Piast dynasty, Piasts' royal rule in Pol ...
, Władysław was expelled by his younger brother and fled to
Altenburg
Altenburg () is a city in Thuringia, Germany, located south of Leipzig, west of Dresden and east of Erfurt. It is the capital of the Altenburger Land district and part of a polycentric old-industrial textile and metal production region betw ...
in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
. With the aid by Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
, however, his sons were restored to their Silesian heritage in 1163.

Władysław's eldest son, Duke
Bolesław I the Tall
Bolesław I the Tall (; 1127 – 7 or 8 December 1201) was Duke of Wrocław from 1163 until his death in 1201.
Early years
Boleslaw was the eldest son of Władysław II the Exile by his wife Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Margrave Leopold II ...
, had spent several years in German exile. When he assumed the rule of
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ) is a historical and geographical region mostly located in Poland with small portions in the Czech Republic and Germany. It is the western part of the region of Silesia. Its largest city is Wrocław.
The first ...
, he invited Cistercian monks from
Pforta Abbey on the
Saale River
The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale ( ) and Thuringian Saale (), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale ...
(in present-day
Thuringia
Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area.
Er ...
) and settled them in Lubiąż as the first of their order in Silesia. Due to lack of funding and political turmoil, construction, which started in 1163, dragged on for years. The first monastery complex was finally completed 1175, when Duke Bolesław I issued the official foundation charter at
Grodziec Castle. Through drainage works the monks reclaimed land in the swampy environs of the monastery, implemented three-field
crop rotation
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of growing seasons. This practice reduces the reliance of crops on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, along with the pro ...
and laid out vineyards. Their efforts were successful and marked the beginning of the medieval German ''
Ostsiedlung
(, ) is the term for the Early Middle Ages, early medieval and High Middle Ages, high medieval migration of Germanic peoples and Germanisation of the areas populated by Slavs, Slavic, Balts, Baltic and Uralic languages, Uralic peoples; the ...
'' to Silesia. Lubiąż was, at the time of its foundation, the furthest east point of German settlement in Slavic lands.
From its foundation to the
cession of Silesia to Poland in 1945, Lubiąż Abbey was widely known by its
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
name, ''Kloster Leubus.'' Its
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
name was ''Abbatia Lubensis.'' It was dedicated to the
Assumption of Mary
The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Catholic Mariology#Dogmatic teachings, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution as follows:
It leaves open the question of w ...
.
About 1200 the abbey church was rebuilt, at that time the first
Brick Gothic
Brick Gothic (, , ) is a specific style of Gothic architecture common in Baltic region, Northeast and Central Europe especially in the regions in and around the Baltic Sea, which do not have resources of standing rock (though Glacial erratic, ...
building in the region. When Duke Bolesław I died in 1201, he was buried under the high altar. The rise of Lubiąż continued under the rule of his son Duke
Henry I the Bearded
Henry the Bearded (, ; c. 1165/70 – 19 March 1238) was a Polish duke from the Piast dynasty.
He was Dukes of Silesia, Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1201, Seniorate Province, Duke of Kraków and List of Polish monarchs, High Duke of all Kin ...
and his consort
Hedwig of Andechs. Henry's reign brought a considerable increase in power in Silesia, including through the acquisition of the Duchy of Krakow in 1232, which made him Senior Duke of Poland. His rule ushered in a heyday of the monastery. In 1202 the monastery already owned 27 villages and towns, some of which it had built itself and some of which had been donated to it.
Establishment of daughter monasteries

The 13th century also brought with it an expansion of the reformist Cistercians originating from Lubiąż, which manifested itself in the takeover and re-establishment of monasteries in different parts of Poland. In 1220, Pope Honorius III handed over the Cistercian
Trzebnica Abbey, which was founded by Hedwig, to Lubiąż for supervision. Soon afterwards, the
Bishop of Kraków
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
Iwo Odrowąż summoned some Cistercians from Lubiąż to Lesser Poland in 1222, gave them the village of Mogiła and donated the local monastery church as the nucleus for a
new monastery. Mogiła—which, according to the founding myth, was founded over the grave of Wanda, the daughter of the legendary founder of Kraków, ''Krak''—became Lubiąż's first daughter monastery. Silesian dukes
Henry the Bearded and later his son
Henry II the Pious
Henry II the Pious (; 1196 – 9 April 1241) was Duke of Silesia and High Duke of Poland as well as Duke of South-Greater Poland from 1238 until his death. Between 1238 and 1239 he also served as regent of Sandomierz and Opole– Racibórz. He ...
were urged by the Bishop of Kraków to use the economically and culturally successful monastery for the further development of the country. In 1227, the Piasts founded
Henryków Abbey, named after the sovereign, in
Henryków, as the second daughter monastery of Lubiąż and the second Cistercian foundation in Silesia. From Henryków, the Cistercians of Lubiąż took over
Krzeszów Abbey, which had been founded by the Benedictines forty years earlier. In 1231, the Cistercians of Lubiąż received the right to establish as many mills on the Oder as they pleased.
The region was devastated during the
first Mongol invasion of Poland
The Mongol invasion of Poland from late 1240 to 1241 culminated in the Battle of Legnica, where the Mongols defeated an alliance which included forces from Testament of Bolesław III Wrymouth, fragmented Poland and their allies, led by Henry ...
in 1241. However, Lubiąż monastery and its monastic properties were miraculously spared, leading the abbey to play a significant role in the rebuilding of the country. However, a stagnation started following the death of Duke Henry II the Pious on April 9, 1241 at the
Battle of Legnica
The Battle of Legnica (), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz () or Battle of Wahlstatt (), was fought between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces at the village of Legnickie Pole (''Wahlstatt''), approximately southeast of the ci ...
. Succession disputes resulted in the general disintegration of Silesia over the next few decades. Nevertheless, monks from Lubiąż came to
Kamieniec in 1246 to take over the town's 1210-founded
Augustinian monastery, officially settling it in 1249 following the intervention of Pope
Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254.
Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...
.
The last monastery founded by Lubiąż monks was the monastery at
Byszewo, which was founded in 1256. However, the monastery quickly dissolved and in 1288 relocated to what is today
Koronowo Monastery.
Economic and cultural revival
By the middle of the 13th century, Lubiąż Abbey had founded around 70 villages, settled by German colonists. That the Abbey had become very wealthy by the late 13th century is evidenced by a 1280 complaint documenting the "incessant begging" of locals to partake in the Abbey's riches.
Monks at Lubiąż also composed the
Chronicon Polono-Silesiacum around this time. By the 14th century Lubiąż became a cultural center of all East-Central Europe, with the monastery school and library (scriptorium) being especially notable. The economic strength of the monastery was consolidated from 1322 onwards by several gold mines in the area of
Złotoryja
Złotoryja (; , ; Latin: ''Aureus Mons'', ''Aurum'') is a historic town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in southwestern Poland, the administrative seat of Złotoryja County, and of the smaller Gmina Złotoryja. Złotoryja is the first town in Pola ...
and other mines. In 1327 the Silesian duke
Henry VI the Good
Henry VI the Good (also known as of Wrocław or of Breslau) (; ) (18 March 1294 – 24 November 1335) was a Duke of Wrocław from 1296 (with his brothers as co-rulers until 1311).
He was the second son of Henry V the Fat, Duke of Legnica and W ...
declared himself a vassal of King
John of Bohemia
John of Bohemia, also called the Blind or of Luxembourg (; ; ; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of Poland. He is well known for having died while fighting ...
, and when he died without male heirs in 1335, his lands including Lubiąż fell to the
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia (), sometimes referenced in English literature as the Czech Kingdom, was a History of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages, medieval and History of the Czech lands, early modern monarchy in Central Europe. It was the pr ...
. The monastery continuously expanded its land holdings and owned extensive estates and around 65 villages with large agricultural estates in Silesia, but also had properties in the east, near
Oświęcim
Oświęcim (; ; ; ) is a town in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, situated southeast of Katowice, near the confluence of the Vistula (''Wisła'') and Soła rivers.
Oświęcim dates back to the 12th century, when it was an im ...
, and in the north, in
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland.
The bound ...
.
The good financial situation made it possible to renovate the monastery buildings in a Gothic style, since the monastery church had become too small for the growing monastery. I 1307, the foundation stone for the new brick gothic basilica was laid. This phase of construction lasted for decades, and the current structure of the Abbey Church dates back to this era. In this time, several princely Chapels and tombs, such as that of
Bolesław III the Generous
Bolesław or Boleslav may refer to:
People
* Bolesław (given name) (also ''Boleslav'' or ''Boleslaus''), including a list of people with this name
Geography
* Bolesław, Dąbrowa County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
* Bolesław, Olkusz Coun ...
, were built.
Decline and war
The heyday ended abruptly with the
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...
, which reached Silesia from 1428. Lubiąż was affected not only as a Catholic center, but also because of its riches. The Hussites plundered and pillaged the complex, devastated large parts of the monastery's villages and plunged Lubiąż into a long economic crisis. The monastery had hardly recovered from these raids and had just restored the monastery buildings when, in 1492,
Jan II the Mad expelled the Cistercian monks and repurposed the monastery to a hunting lodge. The Cistercians were not able to return until seven years later, when Jan II retired to
Frankfurt an der Oder
Frankfurt (Oder), also known as Frankfurt an der Oder (, ; Marchian dialects, Central Marchian: ''Frankfort an de Oder,'' ) is the fourth-largest city in the German state of Brandenburg after Potsdam, Cottbus and Brandenburg an der Havel. With a ...
in
Brandenburg
Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...
.
In 1498, Andreas Hoffman became Abbot, continuing in this position until 1524. Hoffman returned the abbey back to its former purpose, and fortified it with stone earthen ramparts in the case of another war. In 1508, he had the abbey church, which had been in ruins since the Hussite invasion, restored. The expansive costs of this restoration were covered by the revival of the monastery economy.
With the advent of the
reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
in 1517, the 16th century did not begin promisingly for the monastery. Over the course of this century, the Abbey recorded ever-smaller entry numbers, and the foundation suffered. In addition, Protestant polities such as the
Duchy of Legnica
The Duchy of Legnica (, ) or Duchy of Liegnitz () was one of the Duchies of Silesia, formed during the fragmentation of Poland into smaller provincial duchies, ruled by a local line of the Piast dynasty between 1248 and 1675. Its capital was Legni ...
greatly expanded their holdings at the expense of the weakened abbey. Although Silesia was returned to Catholic hands by 1526, the monastery was unable to reverse its decline.
After almost two centuries of decline, the situation improved significantly under Abbot Rudolf von Hennersdorf. This development was initiated with the construction of the large gatehouse in 1601. This was followed by a renovation of the abbey Church from 1608 to 1636, which was refurbished in the baroque style. However, the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...
brought yet another setback. The monastery was occupied by
Swedish troops and their Saxon allies, who plundered the newly renovated Church. Significant portions of the monastery's library were plundered and sent down the Oder to the Swedish-occupied
Stettin
Szczecin ( , , ; ; ; or ) is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the German border, it is a major seaport, the largest city of northwestern Poland, and se ...
. There the plundered riches fell victim to a fire in 1679. During the occupation, the monks had to flee to Wrocław, which was largely unaffected by the war.
Rebuilding and flowering after the Thirty Years' War

After the end of the war, the
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
reached what was then
Austrian Silesia
Austrian Silesia, officially the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia, was an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Habsburg monarchy (from 1804 the Austrian Empire, and from 1867 the Cisleithanian portion of Austria-Hungary). It is la ...
. All over the Abbey's area, existing buildings were renovated and new buildings were built in the baroque style. Despite the traditional Cistercian compulsion towards modest architecture, the open-minded monks did not object to the exuberant baroque renovations. Abbot Arnold Freiberger (abbot 1636–1672) presided over this growth. The Abbey's many destroyed revenue sources were rebuilt, and many new ones were built. With the economic upturn, the enormous debts, especially taken on during the war, could be paid off. The
Habsburgs
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
took a personal hand in the rebuilding of the Abbey, seeing it as a means to reconstruct the influence of Catholicism in the area. One prominent example of the Abbey's role in the Counter-Reformation was the construction of St. Valentine's Parish Church in Lubiąż village. Despite these successes, the Protestant-settled villages and their Protestant rulers around the monastery restricted its growth and stymied the efforts of the Counter-Reformation in Silesia.
Because of the gradual defeat of Protestantism in Silesia, Lubiąż Monastery regained great cultural importance. In 1660, Arnold Freiberger had recruited the painter
Michael Willmann to work for the monastery. Before that, Willmann worked at the Prussian court in
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
and
Königsberg
Königsberg (; ; ; ; ; ; , ) is the historic Germany, German and Prussian name of the city now called Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was founded in 1255 on the site of the small Old Prussians, Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teuton ...
, but he opened his workshop in Lubiąż in 1666, where he was able to carry out lucrative orders not only for Lubiąż but also for other Cistercian institutions in the area. In the 40 years that he spent in Lubiąż, the abbey became a center of Silesian baroque painting, thanks in part to its skilled workshop staff. Willmann died in 1706 and was buried in the monastery crypt, even though he was not a monk, as an expression of gratitude towards the artist.
In 1672, Johann Reich was elected Abbot of Lubiąż. Abbot Reich continued the work of his predecessor until 1691 and the good financial situation of the monastery enabled him to redesign the monastery. The first construction project, the renovation of the princely chapel, started in 1670 under Reich's predecessor, Freiberger, and was completed ten years later. The redesign of the monastery church of the Assumption took place from 1672 to 1681. The predominantly Gothic monastery buildings were torn down. The two wings of the new complex were completed in 1699, but due to lack of funds further expansion of the complex was abandoned. Reich's successors continued the interior renovation of the monastery well into the 18th century. The abbots had a town house erected in Legnica, and perhaps the most visible feature of the modern Abbey, the double-towered facade, was completed. In 1727, a
calvary hill was built near the village of Lubiąż.
Prussian era and secularization

While the monastery benefited from the Habsburg rulers and the Counter-Reformation led by them, the Abbey's heyday was abruptly ended in 1742. After the
First Silesian War
The First Silesian War () was a war between Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia and Habsburg monarchy, Austria that lasted from 1740 to 1742 and resulted in Prussia's seizing most of the region of Silesia (now in south-western Poland) from Austria. The ...
, victorious
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
was awarded almost all of Silesia, and with it Lubiąż Abbey, in the
Treaty of Berlin. Even though the Protestant Prussians were, in principle, tolerant of Catholic beliefs, state Protestantism inevitably took its toll on the Abbey. Due to the disenfranchisement of the great Catholic foundations, the Abbey's revenue sources quickly dried up. The Abbey buckled under high tax duties. Finally, the Abbey was dissolved on November 21, 1810. The holdings of the Abbey, including the contents of 59 villages and 32 agricultural holdings, were nationalized. A year later, after the closure, 471 valuable paintings, including several by Willmann, were relocated to the new Gemäldegalerie in Wrocław. The same was done with large portions of the monastery library and archives.
During the
wars of liberation against
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
in 1813, the monastery buildings found a new use as a hospital. After the end of the war, the hospital was no longer needed, so the Abbey was split between a royal
stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud (animal), stud" comes from the Old English ''stod'' meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding". Historically, ...
(established in 1817) and an
insane asylum
The lunatic asylum, insane asylum or mental asylum was an institution where people with mental illness were confined. It was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital.
Modern psychiatric hospitals evolved from and eventually replace ...
(established in 1823). The abbey served these two purposes up until
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and the facilities were extensively redone to fit their new uses. By the late 19th century, the Prussian state made extensive efforts to preserve the grand baroque interiors while keeping the asylum and stud farm open.
Use in World War II and aftermath
In 1936, the stud farm housed in the monastery was relocated to
Książ Castle
Książ Castle (, ; ) is a castle in northern Wałbrzych in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. The largest castle in the region of Silesia, it is the third-largest in Poland behind Malbork Castle and Wawel Castle. It lies within Książ Lands ...
.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
is alleged to have visited the Abbey in 1936.
By 1942, the asylum was shut down for good, and the Abbey became the location of a
Telefunken
Telefunken was a German radio and television producer, founded in Berlin in 1903 as a joint venture between Siemens & Halske and the ''AEG (German company), Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft'' (AEG) ("General electricity company").
Prior to ...
factory and research laboratories for developing radar receivers, resulting in the dismantling of many of the abbey's interior furnishings. A company called “Schlesische Werkstätten Dr. Fürstenau & Co., GmbH ” also set up shop in the Abbey. These companies manufactured armaments using
forced laborers from
German-occupied Luxembourg, most notably manufacturing engines for
V1 and
V2 rockets. In January 1943, plans were drawn up to build high-voltage lines to the former monastery and a small sewage treatment plant was built. In addition, two new Oder crossings were built and the area was equipped with fog systems to protect it from enemy aircraft. In March of the same year,
Gauleiter
A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
Karl Hanke
Karl August Hanke (24 August 1903 – 8 June 1945) was an official of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) during its rule over Germany who served as the fifth and final '' Reichsführer'' of the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS). He also served as ''Gauleiter'' of ...
visited the plant with a delegation from Telefunken. In this time, any religious functions the Abbey still held were completely terminated to keep the factories and labs under strict secrecy. The Luxembourgish prisoners were either deported to other
concentration camps
A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploit ...
or murdered by the Germans on the spot. On January 25, 1945, the entire facility was evacuated, and the files housed in it were destroyed or lost. The functions of the monastery during World War II are still somewhat nebulous to this day due to this destruction. In 1985, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to commemorate the Luxembourg forced laborers who died at the Abbey.

Despite the functions of the Abbey, it was never directly damaged during the war. Following the end of the war, in 1945, the abbey became again part of Poland. Soldiers of the victorious
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
were quartered in the empty complex, and a psychiatric hospital for them was set up. During this time, significant damage was inflicted upon the abbey, with interior decorations being deliberately defaced, wooden furnishings burned in stoves, and crypts being robbed for valuables.
Consequently, only one set of remains in the Abbey crypt can still be identified (the mummy of Michael Willman), with the rest of the remains having been disturbed and eventually deposited into a pile.
Decay and restoration
After the Red Army soldiers withdrew in 1950, the devastated monastery was not used and had no owner. Some rooms were used as storage, especially for leftover books, such as the summer refectory, in which books were stored up to the ceiling. After the last renovation in 1937, no further repairs or renovations, were carried out, so the abbey fell into disrepair over the next few years. Additionally, the new Soviet-installed
communist government
A communist state, also known as a Marxist–Leninist state, is a one-party state in which the totality of the power belongs to a party adhering to some form of Marxism–Leninism, a branch of the communist ideology. Marxism–Leninism was ...
had no interest in restoring Lubiąż, apparently seeing it as a monument to Catholicism and ''Ostsiedlung,'' both of which it was opposed to. In 1962, restorations were planned, but quickly abandoned due to lack of funds.
After the
end of the communist dictatorship in Poland in 1989, repair work began again for the first time since 1937. For this purpose, a foundation for the monastery, the ''Fundacja Lubiąż'', was established on September 9, 1989, which took full ownership of the monastery grounds. The foundation has been renovating the monastery with donations to since then. It receives financial support from the
Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation, among other sources. In 1996 the restoration of the Prince's Hall was completed, the hall opened to visitors and in 2000. The Abbey's roofing was fully replaced, and the monastery buildings were secured in an elaborate process with hundreds of anchors embedded in the walls. As one of the most important baroque complexes in Europe and because of its great importance for Polish history, the abbey also has the status of a listed building of class 0, which is the highest category for Polish monuments. In 1990 the
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...
decided to set up a Cistercian cultural route, connecting the Abbey to other Cistercian foundations in Europe. Intending to revive the monastery for investment, the ''Fundacja Lubiąż'' has attracted multiple possible buyers, including
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
, who briefly toured the monastery after a concert in 1997.
Current and future use
At the moment only very few rooms are used. The main preserved halls are open for group tours. In the Summer Refectory and in the northern part of the Prelature, there are rotating exhibitions on Silesian topics, organized by the ''Silesian House'' Association. The Prince's Hall was already used as a ballroom when it was built and today is used as a dignified venue for concerts and balls.
In the last two decades, various propositions have been made for the future of the abbey, including one that plans to convert the Abbey into a convention center and luxury hotel. To date, only the gatehouse and barn has been fully restored and new roofs have been installed over the entire abbey. The main facade is gradually being restored, from north to south. The costs of restoration are extremely high, and progress is slow. Artistic and musical events are frequently held at the abbey in order to raise funds for restoration, such as the SLOT Art Festival or Electrocity music festival.
Architecture
Structure of the Abbey
The abbey can generally be said to have an upside-down "L" shape. The main facade of the abbey, the long part of the "L" is separated in two halves by the Abbey Church.
To the north of the abbey church is the ''Prelature'' or ''Abbot's Palace'', which was constructed from 1681 to 1699. The Prelature consists of the aforementioned northern half of the main facade and a 118-meter long east wing, this being the upper part of the upside-down "L". The prelature encloses a surface area of 6,350 m²and a volume of 87,800 m³.
South of the church is the ''Convent Wing,'' which is planned around a quadrangular courtyard. Constructed from 1692 to 1710, it contains 30 rooms in each of its three floors, enclosing a total surface area of 6.402 m² and a volume of 190,000 m³. The Convent Wing suffered the most damage in the postwar era, having been used by the Red Army, and many of its cells and smaller rooms are in urgent need of restoration. Graffiti from the Abbey's brief postwar use by the Red Army can still be seen in the main stairwell, where Soviet soldiers left graffiti depicting red stars and
hammer-and-sickles. The Summer Refectory and Library account for the entirety of the most southern portion of the abbey's main facade, jutting out slightly from the Convent Wing.
The entirety of the
pilastered main facade is 223 m long. This is the longest abbey facade in the world, longer than that of
El Escorial
El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial, Madrid, El ...
(207 m). Only the handful most architecturally important interiors of the over 300 rooms in the abbey have been restored.
Church of the Assumption of Mary
Even before the arrival of the Cistercian monks from Pforta, a wooden church had been built. With the increasing importance of the monastery, a new church became necessary, which was completed around 1200. The Romanesque church was a simple, three-aisle
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
. This corresponded to the austere rules of the Cistercian order. This church was the first brick vaulted building in Poland. Later re-buildings have erased most traces of this ancient church, save for a decorated
piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Lutherans and Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a pisci ...
in the Choir.
The abbey church got its present form towards the end of the 13th century. The old Romanesque church was demolished and the foundations were partially used for its larger successor building. Bricks were again the principal material and stone was used for architectural detailing. The three-aisle floor plan with a straight end of the choir was retained and supplemented by a rectangular
ambulatory
The ambulatory ( 'walking place') is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th century but by the 13t ...
. The
cruciform
A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design.
Cruciform architectural plan
Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...
Gothic structure was vaulted, with vine-themed keystones enclosing the vaults. The
transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
and choir were completed and consecrated in 1330, and the vaults and western
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
were completed in the late 14th century.
The Prince's Chapel was erected at the northeast corner of the ambulatory from 1311-1329 by
Bolesław III the Generous
Bolesław or Boleslav may refer to:
People
* Bolesław (given name) (also ''Boleslav'' or ''Boleslaus''), including a list of people with this name
Geography
* Bolesław, Dąbrowa County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
* Bolesław, Olkusz Coun ...
to house his tomb. Its unique
triconch construction, the only of its kind in Silesia, is thought to have been designed by a master mason from the Rhineland. Its ceilings were decorated with allegorical paintings glorifying the Silesian Piasts in the 1670s. The tomb of Bolesław III, which once was the centerpiece of the chapel, was damaged by Soviet soldiers and later restored and moved to
Wrocław's National Museum in the 1980s. The chapel is now empty as with the rest of the church.
The destruction wrought by the Hussites was only repaired in 1508. New chapels, an organ, and a
tabernacle
According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle (), also known as the Tent of the Congregation (, also Tent of Meeting), was the portable earthly dwelling of God used by the Israelites from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. Moses was instru ...
were also built in the early 16th century.
In the 17th century the church was redesigned several times, although it retained its Gothic structure. In keeping with the taste of the Renaissance, the interior was repainted in the early 17th century, and the choir was redecorated with a new high altar, pulpit and choir stalls. After the looting by the Swedes in 1638, the church had to be repaired again. Abbot Freiberger had the church renovated, and a new organ was bought for 1000 thalers. Seven baroque paintings, intended for the choir, of the martyrdoms of the Apostles were commissioned for Michael Willmann at the same time.
The interior of the church was comprehensively redesigned in Baroque style. From 1672 to 1682 the aisles were widened and decorated barrel vaulting added. The Gothic arches and the pillars of the central nave were fundamentally redesigned. "Open" chapels were laid out on the north and south corners of the ambulatory, covered with domes and with altars of St. Benedict and St. Bernard. The domes were decorated with stucco and frescoes in 1691/92. In the ambulatory, a memorial for the eight bishops of Wrocław interred there and valuable choir grille were erected in 1701. In 1781 a new high altar was erected, an artistic collaboration between Michael Willmann and sculptor Matthias Steinl. In total, Michael Willmann created 14 large baroque paintings for the church. At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was given a magnificent front with the new main facade. The new twin towers were crowned with baroque domes and the newly created space became the
vestibule. From there a baroque portal led into the church. A
Loreto chapel was also built north of the transept, in keeping with current European trends. It would later be converted to a sacristy after the abbey church became a parish. Over the next few centuries, minor renovations and repairs to this structure were made, with the biggest project being the renewal of Gothic windows from 1934-1937.
The interior of the church, as with the rest of the abbey, was partially dismantled by the
German Army
The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
during the building's tenure as a factory, and all but destroyed by plundering soldiers of the Red Army after the end of the war. Apart from a few picture frames, remnants of the pulpit, the wrought-iron choir grille, and the restored
polychrome
Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery, or sculpture in multiple colors.
When looking at artworks and ...
ceiling paintings of the Prince's Chapel, nothing has been preserved of the interiors and furnishings of the monastery church. Today the church is almost in its original Gothic appearance, as all baroque decorations having been removed or, like most of the altars, burned. The surviving altars and stalls were moved to the in
Stężyca in the immediate aftermath of the World War II in order to replace furnishings destroyed by the German invaders there. The so-called "angel stalls" that once decorated the Choir were mainly burned, with the remains being exhibited in
Brzeg
Brzeg (; Latin: ''Alta Ripa'', German: ''Brieg'', Silesian German: ''Brigg'', , ) is a town in southwestern Poland with 34,778 inhabitants (December 2021) and the capital of Brzeg County. It is situated in Silesia in the Opole Voivodeship on t ...
's
ducal castle. Some traces of the organ "nest" are still visible.
Baroque interiors
Old refectory/Abbot's dining room
The Old refectory, now Abbot's dining room is located in the northern wing of the Prelature. It was decorated between 1690 and 1691 by Michael L. Willmann. The frescos have Greek mythological themes, with a hero's
apotheosis
Apotheosis (, ), also called divinization or deification (), is the glorification of a subject to divine levels and, commonly, the treatment of a human being, any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity.
The origina ...
and the god
Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ...
being displayed. The rectangular main painting is surrounded by 14 smaller medallions that continue the themes and are embedded in white stucco. Some antique furniture is displayed in the hall, along with various art exhibitions organized by the Museum of Silesian Regional Studies.
Prince's Hall
With a length of 28.5 meters, a width of 14.8 meters, and a height of 13.9 meters, the Prince's Hall is the largest and most important room of the Abbey. It is situated in the easternmost portion of the Prelature's east wing. Historian
Georg Dehio
Georg Gottfried Julius Dehio (22 November 1850 – 21 March 1932), was a Baltic German art historian.
In 1900, Dehio started the "''Handbuch der deutschen Kunstgeschichte''" (Handbook of German Art History), published by Ernst Wasmuth Verlag, ...
described it as ''"''the most magnificent ballroom of Silesia''".'' It was restored from 1990–1995. The Prince's Hall forms the eastern end of the prelature.
A long, one-story corridor leads to an exuberant baroque portal which occupies the entire wall, and dramatically opens into the two-story tall hall. The portal is framed by two larger-than-life atlases, an Indian and a Moor. The upper end of the polychrome portal frame, made of white stucco, shows the abbey coat of arms with two supporters.
The hall occupies two floors, and there is a gallery on the west side of the hall. Between the two rows of windows are ten scenes, by Christian Philipp Bentum, from the life of Empress
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (28 August 1691 – 21 December 1750) was Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Queen of Bohemia and Hungary; and Archduchess of Austria, etc. etc. by her marri ...
. Busts of Habsburg rulers are placed above them. The ballroom was built in the last construction phase of the monastery from 1734 to 1738 and represents one of the most magnificent of the European baroque. The walls and portals are altogether richly decorated with paint and stucco.
The dominant work of art in the hall is the ceiling fresco, which extends over 360 square meters. These are ten paintings that are attached to the wooden ceiling construction and together make up one of the largest and most outstanding frescos in Poland. Its creator, Christian Philipp Bentum, immortalized himself in the south corner with a self-portrait and a signature including the year 1732. In the ceiling painting, the iconography of the Princely Hall reaches its climax with glorifications of the Silesian
Piasts, who founded the monastery, the Habsburg Monarchy, to which Lubiąż owed its heyday, and the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. On the edge of the western part of the ceiling painting is the defeat of the Battle of Liegnitz (1241) depicted with the Silesian Duke Henry II. Henry's ancestor Boleslaw I is depicted founding the monastery. Putti with the monastery coat of arms climb up to his right. On the opposite side there is
Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...
in front of battle scenes, which depict the victory of the Catholic faith over demons, vices and heresies. The long sides show in the north of the scene of the marriage of Maria Theresa to
Francis I, and the personifications of power and moderation, flanked by the victory of
Chronos
Chronos (; ; , Modern Greek: ), also spelled Chronus, is a personification of time in Greek mythology, who is also discussed in pre-Socratic philosophy and later literature.
Chronos is frequently confused with, or perhaps consciously identified ...
over
Vanitas
''Vanitas'' is a genre of symbolizing the temporality, transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death, and thus the vanity of ambition and all worldly desires. The paintings involved still life imagery of transitory i ...
.
Summer (Main) refectory
The Summer (Main)
refectory
A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monastery, monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminary, seminaries. The name ...
is housed on the ground floor of the southern end of the Convent Wing. The library occupies the next two floors. Although the ceiling is vaulted and has the appearance of extensive stuccoing, the surface is actually two-dimensional and decorated with extensive
t''rompe-l'œil'' painting. The ceiling paintings dating to 1733 are by Felix Anton Scheffler, and show, in keeping with the use as a dining room at the time, the biblical scene of the
Miracle of Loaves and Fishes. The large fresco is surrounded by eight smaller, oval paintings that show scenes from the lives of
Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercians, O.Cist. (; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, Mysticism, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templar, and a major leader in the reform of the Benedictines through the nascent Cistercia ...
and
Benedict of Nursia
Benedict of Nursia (; ; 2 March 480 – 21 March 547), often known as Saint Benedict, was a Great Church, Christian monk. He is famed in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Churches, the Anglican Communion, and Old ...
. A curved portal made of black marble with the year 1706 shows an extract from the rule of the order leads into the hall: “''SUMMUM FIAT SILENTIUM AD MENSAM. CAP: 38 REG:'' “, which indicates silence during the meal. The frescoes have been completely renovated and the floor marble floor has now been re-done.
Library
The abbey library is located above the refectory in the Convent Wing. It occupies the second and third floors, with a ceiling height of 12 meters. A gallery separates the two stories and winds around the entire room. The library at Lubiąż is thought to be the largest baroque library in Silesia. Most of the abbey's collection was removed after its dissolution, and the remaining bookshelves and cabinets which once furnished the room were destroyed in the aftermath of the Second World War. The frescoes in the library were painted in 1737 Philipp Bentum, and the room's vaulted ceilings were badly damaged in the years following the war. Gradual repairs and restorations were begun in 2006 and continue to this day; it is inaccessible to visitors.
Other buildings
Administrative and Agricultural buildings

The northernmost building of the abbey complex, at the far end of a bridge crossing a small brook, is the gatehouse, which connects the abbey to the village of Lubiąż. The structure was originally built for defensive purposes during the Hussite War, and was renovated in 1601 in a late-Renaissance/early-Baroque style. Under the gable of the gate are statues of Benedict of Nursia and Bernard of Clairvaux. It is currently used as housing.
Attached to the south of the gatehouse is the Abbey Hospital. Next to the hospital is the one-story Abbey Barn, which now hosts a small inn, the ''Karczma Cysterska.''
The nearby Abbey Chancellery and
Abbey Vicar's house and further away Craftsman's Building all date to the same phase of construction in the early 18th century and are nearly identical in design, though built on different footprints. Their hipped roofs and dormers echo the design of the abbey building. The Chancellery is currently used as an administrative building by the Fundacja Lubiąż, while the Abbey Vicar's house is now subdivided into apartments, as was the Craftsman's Building until it burned down in 2021.

Between the Craftsman's Building and the abbey is the Brewery and Bakery, a large 18th-century two-story building with a mansard roof which was renovated in the 19th century. It is currently abandoned.
Church of St. James
The Church of St. James was first mentioned in 1202. It was originally built as a parish for the secular workers at the abbey and inhabitants of the village of Lubiąż. It is situated between the Craftsman's Building and the Brewery and Bakery. It was rebuilt in the 1690s, lending the church its current appearance. After the demise of the abbey, it was temporarily used as an arsenal, eventually becoming the village's protestant parish church. Along with the rest of the abbey buildings, it was plundered after the end of the war and has since sat abandoned, with the exception of a new roof which was built in 1960. It is inaccessible to visitors.
Gallery
File:Lubiaz wykadrowane.jpg, The Prelature seen from the north
File:605viki Lubiąż. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg, Facade of the Convent Wing
File:Lubiąż Abbey 06 (js).jpg, An unrestored passage in the abbey
File:530viki Lubiąż. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg, The north facade of the church, with the Prince's and Loreto chapels visible
File:538viki Lubiąż. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg, The choir grille in the northern ambulatory
File:716viki Lubiąż - makieta. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg, A model of the restored abbey made by the Lubiąż Foundation
File:Lubiąż brama wjazdowa.JPG, The restored gatehouse
File:Barocke Säule mit Marienfigur als Krönung.jpg, Baroque Marian column
Marian may refer to:
People
* Marian (given name), a list of people with the given name
* Marian (surname), a list of people so named
Places
* Marian, Iran (disambiguation)
* Marian, Queensland, a town in Australia
* Marian, a village in toe c ...
in front of the main facade depicting the Coronation of Mary
File:PL-DS, pow. wołowski, gm. Wołów, Lubiąż, pl. Klasztorny; Zespół opactwa cystersów- kancelaria klasztorna; A-2755-616-W.jpg, The Chancellery and Vicar's House
File:Legnica Abbots Palace.jpg, The Abbot's Palace in Legnica, built for the abbots of Lubiąż in 1728
References
External links
Lubiąż FoundationList of abbotsat Biographia Cistercensis
;Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lubiaz Abbey
Religious buildings and structures in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Cistercian monasteries in Poland
Culture of Silesia
12th-century establishments in Poland
Baroque church buildings in Poland
Burial sites of the Piast dynasty
Christian monasteries established in the 1170s
Tourist attractions in Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Monasteries used as prisons