Bistra Carthusian
Monastery was founded in 1255 as the first monastery in Carniola. Along with
Žiče, Jurklošter and Pleterje it was one of the four Carthusian monasteries in
the territory of Slovenia. Initially it was called "The Happy Valley" or in German ''Freudental''. Later the monastery was named after the near village
Borovnica and at the end of the 15th century the final name - Bistra - appeared.
The first
half of the 14th century represents the culmination of the monastery. This is
when the monastery greatly expanded and invested in the functioning of the
monastic library, where they created a number of copies and original works.
Later began the slow decay of the monastery which was repeatedly hit by fires and
in 1670 by a strong earthquake. The final collapse of the monastery came when
the Emperor Joseph II commanded the dissolution of the monasteries which did
not contributed to the prosperity of the country.
The
property was split into several parts - some were confiscated, some passed
into the hands of the Church and some were sold. The castle’s image, as
you can admire it today, was shaped after many renovations in the mid-19th
century, when the grounds became the property of the Galle family. In 1945 the property
was nationalized, and since 1951, the castle is a cultural monument of national
importance and the place of the Technical Museum of Slovenia.