Hidden and Isolated

Tucked away deep in the isolation of the Valley of St John is the ruins of Carthusian Monastery of Zice, founded around 1160 by Otakar III. It was the first of four Carthusian monasteries to be built in the area that is now Slovenia. Two kilometers away from the ruins is the town of Spitalic, which was the site of the lower monastery, where the lay brothers lived and worked. All of the monastery outbuildings, including glass and brick works as well as the hospital were here. Here we found St Mary's church, in great preparation for the upcoming National holiday here to remember the departed. The rich architecture of the church is reflected in it's magnificent main portal.

Heading west to the upper Monastery, and standing at the entrance to the monastery is the Gostisce Gastuz, dating from 1467,
and reputed to be one of the oldest guesthouses in Central Europe. Although it was too early for a pint, we did stop for a good cup of coffee, where I marvelled at the small doorways and thick walls.




The upper Monastery was not built at the same time. The ruins of St John's church was built in the 12th century, first in Romanesque, and then in Gothic style.

Zice was an important medical center for both locals and travellers until the monastery's dissolution in the late 1700s, and there is now a reconstructed apothecary on the site of the old one.

The powerful herbs are grown right on the property.
Certainly one of my favorite ruins to date, they were to me a heady concoction of extraordinary ancient beauty, strange energy and peace.