Gateway to Heaven – Porta Coeli

The “Gateway to Heaven” or Porta Coeli in Latin is a unique convent complex near the quiet little town of Tišnov. A community of Cistercian nuns still lives here to this very day, maintaining the spirituality of the location. The convent was founded in the 13th century by the mother of St. Agnes of Bohemia in order for her to be able to live out the rest of her days there. You will find her depicted by the Feet of Christ in the tympanon of the portal which decorates the main entrance to the convent church. The richly decorated portal will amaze you; the twelve apostles instead of columns and floral decoration around are a little piece of French Gothic in the Czech lands. The Podhorácké Museum with its exhibition chronicling the history of the convent and with a section devoted to palaeontology and mineralogy is to be found in the convent complex.