The Monastery Building

Description

The Cistercians arriving at Szentgotthárd first started to build a place to live in, the monastery, in 1740. The plans were also made by Franz Anton Pilgram. First they began building the southern wing and the monks could move in as early as in 1746. The part of the monastery, which can still be seen today, was completed around 1750, yet the symmetrical, northern part around of the church could not be completed.   The building is now used as the Townhall. The former front room of the abbot can be reached from the secretary's office, where you can see the digital copies of the panneau (wallboard) by István Dorfmeister, tha famous Baroque painter. The original pieces of art are kept in the Hungarian National Gallery since 1951. The parlour - another room destined to welcome guests in the proper manner - can also be found on the second floor of the monastery building. In the past decades it was used as a registry office, in the last few years it hosted the meetings of the town council. The copies of the paintings of Matthias Gusner were recently brought back onto the walls of the room. The originals can be seen in the Cistercian monastery at Heiligenkreuz in Austria. Behind the parlour you can find the library. Its beautiful wardrobes are the works of Father Kasper Schrezenmayer, on the ceiling there is a painting by Matthias Gusner. The dining room, or refectory, can be found on the first floor. Today it is used as a registry office and concert hall, as it has excellent acoustics. The astonishing painting on the ceiling was also made by Matthias Gusner.