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Description:
In the forests near the village of Veľké Lovce lie the ruins of an old monastery called Máriacsalád or Mariánska Čeľaď. Once a magnificent monastery with a beautiful two-towered church, maintained garden and baths was built by the Pauline order probably at the beginning of the 16th century. The local monks devoted themselves not only to serving God and people, but also to science and developing progress in the economy. They established a library in the monastery, where they collected an extensive collection of valuable historical volumes of the most diverse subjects. The monastic complex, having partly a fortress character, also served as a refuge for the people during dangers from the horrors of war. On the other hand, legends have been preserved that the local "white monks", as they were called by the locals, did not live too godly lives and were more harmful than beneficial to their surroundings. It is said that they had bad relations with people, behaved arrogantly, because they were mostly non-firstborn noble sons. Succumbing to sinful passions, they abducted girls from surrounding villages who never returned. (In reality, the abductions of girls were probably the work of robbers who infested the surrounding forests, and whom the Paulines themselves feared.) The Mariánska Čeľaď monastery was abandoned by the monks at the end of the 18th century. Until 1989 it was used for various secular purposes. After the revolution, it began to decay and due to vandals and thieves of building material, it quickly turned into ruins. In places where mysterious underground passages led from the monastery to surrounding villages, sinkholes are occasionally found. The ruins of Mariánska Čeľaď, despite its desolate state, is a popular excursion site. It is located in a beautiful and quiet environment, not far from the Podhájska recreation center. (20.3.2016)
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Video length: 04:19
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