Description:

Carthusian monastery in the Slovenian village of Zice is celebrating 850 years, on which occasion an international conference has discussed plans to restore it to its former glory of a political and cultural centre of Europe. Zicka kartuzija, as it is called in Slovenian, was founded in 1160 as the first monastery of Carthesian monks outside France and Italy.

At the break of the 14th century it shortly became the seat of the Carthusian order, taking the title from Grande Chartreuse in France. It also boasted one of the biggest libraries in Europe, second only to the Vatican's.

Austrian Emperor Joseph II abolished it in 1782, after which the complex which consisted of two monasteries, a church and accompanying land was privately owned and left to decay until the end of WWII.

To revive this precious piece of heritage, the Ljubljana Faculty of Architecture and the Villa Sancti Institute, which is dealing with renovation of old quality architecture, joined forces to produce a study on its full-scale restoration.

Under the long-term plan, which is estimated at some EUR 10m, the estate would be turned into an area offering visitors an opportunity for spiritual meditation at the monastery as well as recreation on the estate. What is more, the remote valley of St. John the Baptist in the northeast of the country would be protected from construction.

To mark the anniversary, an international conference on the importance of Zicka kartuzija for Slovenia and Europe took place last Friday.

Architecture professor Peter Fister, who organised the event, told the STA that there were several strategies to promote the charterhouse, one being a plan to form a tourist route to Carthusian monasteries around Europe.

The professor is also hopeful that once the restoration is completed, the monastery could be entered on the UNESCO world heritage list. He admitted however that the completion of the project largely depended on the funds it will be able to acquire from different sources, including the EU.

Source: ukom.gov.si (Government Communication Office)

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