Opactwo Tynieckie

The Tyniec Abbey... 1044 – According to the lokal tradition the Abbey was found by Casimir the Restorer, the son and the successor of the King Mieszko II. The second half of the eleven century- a typical Abbey stone buildings are being built. The following fragments have been preserved till now: The southern wall of the original basilica with the Romanesque portal.
In the XIV century – the abbey suffers serious destruction as the monks stand by the duke Wladyslaw Lokietek from the Piast dynasty, the future king of Poland, in his fight for the Polish throne against the supporters of czech family. Monastery is olso ploundered by Tatar invaders.
The wars of XVII century destroy the abbey and its property. In the XVIII century the abbey flourishes a new. Benedictines of the Polish Congregation are educated in Tyniec. The library enlarges in the suorthern wing, decorated with Roccoco elements. Francesco Placidi projects the altars in black marble. In the end of XVIII century Poland disappears from the map of Europe, divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia. The abbey has been a fortress of the confederates, who fought against Russian troops. The fights ruin the monastery. The abbey becomes a part of the Austrian annexation. The community rebuilds the monastery once more and increases the library. In the 1839 the fire consumes the roofs of the abbey. The monastery again becomes a big ruin.
Cardinal Adam Sapieha gives the hill of the former abbey as the place for the new foundation. The assumed work survived the period of Germany occupation and the years of communism. The reconstruction of the abbey has been going on since 1947. In 1968 the monastery comes back to the rank of an abbey.