Churches & monasteries

Supraśl Orthodox Monastery

The monastery founded in 1501 by Aleksander Chodkiewicz, voivode of Nowogrudok, is Supraśl's foremost monument and one of the key centres of Orthodox Christianity in Poland. King Alexander Jagiellon confirmed the foundation in 1504, and a year later the Patriarch of Constantinople granted the monastery its tomos. The Church of the Annunciation was consecrated in 1516.

A history of upheavals

In 1609 the monks accepted the Union of Brest, and for more than two centuries the monastery was run by Basilians. A printing house (1695) and a paper mill (1711) operated here, and the monastery library held the Supraśl Codex, one of the oldest monuments of the Slavic language. In 1824 the Russian authorities handed the monastery over to Orthodox monks. In 1915 the brethren fled deep into Russia, taking the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Supraśl with them. On 23 July 1944 withdrawing German troops blew up the church.

Reconstruction and the Museum of Icons

The gate-belfry was reconstructed in 1970, and in the 1990s the complex returned to the Orthodox Church. The rebuilt Archimandrites' Palace now houses the Museum of Icons, home to one of Poland's most important icon collections. Since 2004 the monastery has also hosted the Supraśl Academy.

Practical notes

The complex stands on the Supraśl river, among the forests of the Knyszyn Forest. The monastery is still an active religious house, so plan your visit around the Museum of Icons and a walk through the surrounding woods.