A scientific conference titled "The monastery in the mediaeval and modern society" was held on May 9-11, 1996 in Turawa near Opole. The event was organized by the Institute of History of the University of Opole and the Institute of History of the University of Wrocław. This was the second meeting of historians on this topic. The conference discussed a number of topics related to the role of monasteries in medieval and early modern society. Bert Demyttenaere from Amsterdam shared his reflections on monasticism and civilization processes. Then the papers covered, among others: monasticism in Poland, the relationship between monastic and canonical monasteries and cathedral chapters, and the role of nunnery monasteries. The relationship of monasteries with the local lay community and the problem of recruitment and social impact of monasteries in Upper Silesia were also presented. The following sections discuss issues related to visual means of communication, coats of arms of monastic towns, passion plays in medieval monasteries, the origins of architectural ornament in Polish Cistercian architecture, and monastic education in the Czech Republic before Hussitism. During the plenary session, issues such as the military functions of monasteries in medieval Lesser Poland were discussed and the results of the latest archaeological research on the Cistercian monastery in Jędrzejów were presented. The plenary discussion ended the conference. This conference was an important forum for discussion for researchers interested in the history of monasteries and their role in medieval and modern society.
