Monastery

The monastery at Kaposszentijakab was established in 1061 by Palatine Otto of the Győr Clan. Its deed of foundation is seen as the first existing charter issued by a nobleman in the Kingdom of Hungary.  The Monastery was dedicated to the Apostle Saint James the Great, and was built on a continuously inhabited hill, located alongside of an earlier church, which was probably in ruins at that time -This earlier church was built between the 7th and 9th century. The complex, was consecrated in 1067, in the presence of King Solomon and Duke Géza. It was also deemed popular during the 13^th century, as many of the charters of that period, mentioned the area several times. The buildings (including the monastery, a church, and smaller chapel, which was used as a parish church), was originally built in style of the Romanesque tradition, but was later renovated under the influence of the Gothic style. During the 16th century, the monastery of Kaposszentjakab was one of the most important abbeys, but according to some sources,  the monastery was derelict in 1542. After centuries of abandonment, the site was excavated in the 1960’s and in 2014; and today, the ruins of the monastery are used to house a museum, and serves as a cultural centre.