KLÁŠTOR POD ZNIEVOM

The Convent of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kláštor pod Znievom was founded as a royal endowment by Hungarian King Béla IV in the years 1251 and 1252. At his explicit request, the Premonstratensians arrived in the Turiec Basin directly from the mother abbey in Prémontré sometime before 1247. It was the northernmost Premonstratensian provostry in the Kingdom of Hungary.

Beneath the royal castle of Zniev, the Premonstratensians built an Early Gothic church with a monastery, which was later remodeled in the Late Gothic style during the 14th and 15th centuries. In the mid-15th century, the monastery was fortified with defensive walls. In 1529, it fell into the hands of supporters of John Zápolya through betrayal, and the Premonstratensians were forced to flee. In 1586, the monastery was taken over by Jesuits from Trnava.

In the 20th century, the monastic complex was administered by religious sisters. Today, the monastery belongs to the Diocese of Banská Bystrica.