Heritage & the monastery
A story written
in stone.
The monastery is the starting point. The surrounding hamlets are part of the story.
The Benedictine beginning
The monastery is documented in 1174, although it was already established by then. The settlement takes its name from this monastic history: Saint Peter in the Woods. Rather than gathering into a compact hilltop town, homes developed in scattered hamlets beside the cultivated landscape.
The cloister, read slowly
The monastery passed to the Paulines in 1459. Look at the cloister: Renaissance columns below, earlier Romanesque columns above. The architecture rewards a closer look rather than a quick photograph.
A living place
The church of Saints Peter and Paul remains a religious space. Dress respectfully, keep voices low and ask before photographing inside. Confirm visitor access with the local tourist board; an open square does not guarantee an open cloister.
The most memorable part of a journey is sometimes the space between things.
Sveti Petar u Šumi
Before you go