Pleterje Charterhouse

Pleterje Charterhouse (Slovene: Kartuzija Pleterje; German: Kartause Plettriach) is the sole surviving Carthusian monastery in Slovenia, situated in the village of Drča, near Šentjernej, at the base of the Gorjanci Mountains.

History and Reconstruction

The monastery's origins trace back to 1403 when Count Hermann II of Celje initiated its founding, with construction concluding by 1407. During its early history, Nikolaus Kempf, an Austrian mystic and theologian, served as prior from 1447 to 1451 and again from 1462 to 1467. A significant setback occurred in 1471 when an Ottoman raid devastated the original structures, necessitating a reconstruction that emphasized greater strength and defensibility. Following a protracted period of decline, the monastery was granted to the Jesuits of Ljubljana in 1595 by Archduke Ferdinand II of Inner Austria. Upon the suppression of the Jesuits in 1772, Pleterje became state property before transitioning into private hands in 1839.

The Carthusians successfully reacquired the site in 1899, embarking on the construction of a new monastery that was completed five years later. This second foundation faced its own trials during World War II, suffering severe damage when Communist Partisans set fire to the charterhouse on February 21, 1943, which resulted in the destruction of seventeen monastic cells.

Present Day Operations and Features

Today, Pleterje Charterhouse continues to function as an active Carthusian monastery. While most of the current monastic buildings stem from the late 19th-century reconstruction, the Gothic church dedicated to the Holy Trinity is a surviving element from the initial foundation. The monks actively manage 30 hectares of land, primarily dedicated to cultivating fruit and producing honey, which they sell. Their produce also includes wine, fruit spirits (notably pear brandy), mead, and beeswax candles.

The community is also the custodian of a notable collection of several dozen paintings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, attributed to Flemish, French, Italian, and German artists. For the sake of the community's peace, these artworks have been placed on permanent loan for exhibition at a gallery in Kostanjevica na Krki. It is believed these paintings arrived at Pleterje with refugee monks from Bosserville Charterhouse in Lorraine, who found shelter there in 1904.

Furthermore, the monastery hosts a display of items from the collections of the Dolenjska Museum, a local history institution. Additionally, a portion of the monastery's lands features the Pleterje Charterhouse Open Air Museum, showcasing typical Slovenian peasant buildings.