House of Art in Opava

The Dominican monastery was founded in Opava at the end of the 13th century by Nicholas I of Opava, the illegitimate son of Přemysl Otakar II. Together with the Church of St. Wenceslas, it still forms a complex that commemorates the stay of the Dominicans.

It is an impressive contrast – a modern and brand new gallery in the backdrop of an old Dominican monastery. This is what the Opava House of Art looks like, and it has become the last chance for a dilapidated building that the monks abandoned 200 years ago. Today, exhibitions are held here and visitors learn about the life of the monks. The modern architecture rests tastefully on the gothic walls of the original monastery. So, for example, the Garden of Eden, which the monks used for their livelihood, is now covered and has become part of the interior.

Today, the monastery has been restored and houses a gallery, and as well as appreciating the beauty of the art in the historic building, you can also learn about the life of the monks, what they did for a living and how they spent their time together. The monastery is one of the many places included in the Opava guided tours.