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Vol. 98 (2002): Our Past

Miscellanea

A sketch of the history of the Cistercian abbey in Owińska. 750th anniversary of the foundation

  • Krzysztof Ratajczak
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2002.98.531-548  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2002-12-30

Abstract

The Cistercian monastery in Owińsk was the second abbey established by the order in Greater Poland. Its history has not yet received a comprehensive study. The Owińsk monastery was the sixth convent of the female branch of the order in Polish lands. It operated for almost five centuries. Despite having a relatively rich source base, the history of the Owińsk abbey has not been the subject of significant scholarly works so far. The task of this study will be to outline the state of research on the Owińsk abbey and identify needs in this area, in the context of the planned international scientific session in 2002 dedicated to the history and culture of the Cistercian order. The oldest historical mention of Owińsk as a locality is found in the founding document of the Cistercian monastery. The nuns were brought to Owińsk from the Silesian abbey in Trzebnica, founded in 1202-1203 by Duke Henry the Bearded. The oldest document of the monastery has been preserved in a copy and is dated April 24, 1250. As for the personnel composition of the convent, at the current stage of research, it is difficult to provide closer details. There are no documents from the medieval period that record the names of the nuns; however, we know the names of the abbesses. The Cistercian monastery became integrated into the local community, undoubtedly contributing to the overall cultural development of the village. The nuns played a role in the economic growth of the region, and it is very likely that surplus production from the monastery's possessions was sold at nearby markets. An important aspect of the activities of the Cistercian nuns was the promotion of education and culture among local girls.

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