Tepla Monastery

Science and faith under one roof

The Teplá Monastery and Abbey, more precisely the Premonstratensian Canonry in Teplá, is a monastery of the Premonstratensian Canons in Teplá near Mariánské Lázně, founded in 1193. It is one of the most important monasteries in the country. The complex consists of the monastery church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, the buildings of the convent, the prelature, the former monastery hospital, the pharmacy, the granary, the farm buildings and the courtyard. Since 2008 it has been a national cultural monument. The current, 53rd, abbot of the monastery since 2011 is Filip Zdeněk of Lobkovic.

Tepla Monastery

A very important monastic figure was Abbot Karel Kašpar Reitenberger (1812-1827), who became famous primarily for his decision to found the town of Mariánské Lázně, which he subsequently systematically developed. However, these activities of his significantly burdened the monastery economy, which caused very strong resistance among some monks and ultimately led to his dismissal. His successors Adolf Kopmann (1828-1835) and Melchior Mahr (1843-1867) continued the construction of the town. Melchior Mahr held the position of inspector of springs before his election and, among other things, had the so-called Tepelský dům built. 

Abbot Marian Heinl (1843-1867) built the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the deanery in Mariánské Lázně. In addition to the valuable library, the monastery also had a mineralogical collection and a physics cabinet, which Johann Wolfgang Goethe also visited to admire. His close friend Josef Zaupner, who worked as a professor at the grammar school in Pilsen, was also a member of the order. He was a sensitive interpreter of Goethe's work in Bohemia and the poet found support in him at a time when he was the target of criticism in his own time. 

A memorial plaque commemorates the great poet's visit.The Tepelský monastery was a center of Enlightenment science, astronomical and meteorological observations were practiced here, and fields related to the operation of the monastery lands, such as forestry, also developed. Collections of natural history of local researchers were concentrated here and a physics cabinet was built.