Piaristický klášter / Piarist Convent - Príbor (North Moravia) - Baroque Architecture on Waymarking.com

Large late-Baroque complex of the former Piarist convent (Piaristický klášter), nowadays regional museum, library, art school and town' cultural centre, is one of the key historic and architectural landmarks of town Príbor.

The late-Baroque Piaristic convent (college) in Pribor was established by bishop Charles the II of Lichtenstein (Karel II. z Lichtenštejna) on February 5th 1694. The convent was built between 1694 and 1700, according to plans of famous Piarist architect Giovanni Pietro Tencalla from Kromeríž. The convent is monumental two storeyed L-shaped building with 90 m long western wing and 70 m long southern wing. A wooden corridor connecting the college with the convent church of St. Valentine was constructed in 1768. This corridor was removed during last stages of the convent's construction in the end of the 19th century (1875). The construction of both wings was completed by the civil engineer Bedrich Karlseder in 1875.

The Czech teaching institute, the second in Moravia, was located here in 1875-1938. Nowadays the complex serves as a museum, elementary school and public library. The convent complex and its adjacent garden were completely reconstructed in 1996-2015. During the reconstruction process beautiful sgraffiti on the convent outer walls were discovered and restored. Valuable historic Piaristic library contains 4 500 tomes, including 30 incunabula (first prints).

The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools (Latin: Ordo Clericorum Regularium pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum, Sch. P. or S. P.) or, in short, Piarists, is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order. Founded by Saint Joseph Calasanctius, the main occupation of the Piarist fathers is teaching children and youth, the primary goal being to provide free education for poor children. The Piarist practice was taken as a model by numerous later Catholic societies devoted to teaching, while the state-supported public school system in certain parts of Europe also followed their example. The Piarists have had a considerable success in the education of physically or mentally disabled persons. Some famous individuals of the last few centuries, including Pope Pius IX, Goya, Schubert, Gregor Mendel, and Victor Hugo, were taught at Piarist schools. [Wiki]