A vast former Premonstratensian nunnery near Plzeň, founded between 1202 and 1210 by Blessed Hroznata and rebuilt in late Baroque form. It was dissolved in 1782, later housed Visitandine sisters and their girls' school, was used by the Czech army from 1950 to 1975 and then stood empty. It is a national cultural monument owned by the small municipality of Chotěšov.
What it needs
The municipality restores the convent wing by wing with grants; the current EU co-financed stage covers part of one facade and one hall. Two public collections are open: 'Zachraň klášterní sen', to save one of the largest ceiling frescoes in West Bohemia, and a long-running collection to replace the convent's windows.
Before you act. The collection pages give no launch date, target or amount raised, and the only cost figures found date from 2009. The municipality, which owns the abbey, plans cultural and visitor use, not a religious community.
Last checked 8 November 2026. Parts of this entry could not be fully confirmed; see the note above. Responsible body: Správa kláštera premonstrátek v Chotěšově, z.ú. (fresco collection); Obec Chotěšov (window collection).
The friars say that with limited funds they do only what is essential each year. Their 2026 list of needs includes finishing sanitary facilities for pilgrims in the east wing, starting the reconstruction of the west wing for the brothers and later for sisters and pilgrims, a new boiler room, eight lunette windows in the cloister corridor and refurbished doors.
The monks are asking for donations to furnish the Chapel of the Holy Family in their guest house, in solid wood using traditional craft techniques, with the brothers making the main altar themselves. The plan put the oak pews in 2025 (the abbey reported the first half installed), and new solid-oak doors went in in August 2026; the 2027 stage covers side altars, painted-glass windows and remaining furnishings, with completion and blessing planned for 2028.
