Monastery in Saint John under the cliff by Christa Krus

About "Monastery in Saint John under the cliff"

by Christa Krus

About the artwork

aint John under the cliff, or Svatý Jan pod Skalo is a town in central Bohemia, in the region of Beroun, Czech Republic. Svatý Jan pod Skalou has a population of 132 inhabitants. The famous history of Svaty Jan starts at the 9th century. According to the legend of about 880, a monk lived alone - recognized as Ivan - as a hermit for many years. Some old documents confirm that Ivan was a Croatian son of the Duke. But it is more likely that he descended from a northeastern Czech family. It seems that his father had sent him to a monastery in western Europe, and after some time he returned to his native Bohemian country. On his return journey, he is a quiet cave under a big mountain. He what a fresh water source near. Here he lived alone for about 40 years. He what the first Christians this in this. In his life it has been found that our duke Borivoj has visited him here. Borivoj had a summer castle in Tetin, 5 km from here, slowly the river is located. This castle was used as a hunting base. The meeting between Ivan and Borivoj is pictured on the ceiling of the Svaty Jan church. When Ivan died, his body was buried in the cave he had lived, and as a sign of respect, a small chapel was erected in the cave. This chapel and its cave carried people here to worship, even before a church was built. Many years later, around 1050, this place - now called "The Chapel of St. Ivan in the Cave" - ​​was given to a monastery 30 km from here wilderness and an island between two rivers