5 Zloty of Poland 2022 UNC - Former Benedictine monastery on Swiety Krzyz Mountain

The Święty Krzyż Mountain, located in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains of Poland, houses a former Benedictine monastery of significant historical and religious importance. According to Benedictine tradition, it was founded in the 11th century by Bolesław the Brave. In the 14th century, the monastery received the relics of the Holy Cross, making it the oldest sanctuary in Poland. The abbey played a crucial role in promoting spiritual and intellectual culture and boasted one of Poland's most magnificent libraries. Dissolved in 1819, the monastery faced looting and was later used as a strict regime prison under Russian rule. In 1936, the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate began rebuilding, interrupted by World War II. Today, the Sanctuary of the Relics of the Holy Cross attracts nearly 300,000 pilgrims and tourists annually, earning the honorable title of "Monument of History" in 2017.