The beginning of the gallery work at Kostanjevica on the river Krka began in 1956, when it was initiated by the headmaster at that time Mr. Lado Smrekar - it was in the elementary school that the Gorjup Gallery was established. It was a predecessor of all later cultural activities in Kostanjevica on the river Krka. (The Dolenjska Cultural Festival 1956-1981, The Lamut Art Salon from 1958 and onwards, which today is an exhibition place of the Bozidar Jakac Gallery, the sculpture symposium Forma Viva 1961-1988 and again in 1998 and onwards, as well as the biennial of graphic art of Yugoslavian children.) Today its continuation runs around the framework of the Bozidar Jakac Gallery, which was established in 1974. It is located in the ex-Cistercian monastery. The architectural complex is today a cultural monument, which is still under renovation. The Bozidar Jakac Gallery, from the beginning of its establishment, has thematically moved towards expressionism. In the first five renovated halls of the former monastery, the following artists have been exhibited: Joze Gorjup, Tone Kralj and Bozidar Jakac. Gradually, the Gallery extended into other renovated areas with the exhibitions of France Kralj, Zoran Didek, France Gorse and Janez Boljka. Exceptional attention has been given to the art collection of Old Masters from the Pleterje monastery.

Carinthian leader, Bernard Spanheim, not far from a populated area in 1234, established the Cistercian monastery, Fons Sanctae Mariae, whose parish was in Carinthian Vetrinje. In 1249 another founding charter was produced, in which the founder donated to the monestary pertaining estates and patronage over the Kostanjevica rectory. Later eleven more rectories joined with the monestary and the monestary represented the most important religious, cultural and economic centre, at the under current of the Krka river. When the Spanheims died out due to the Turkish ravages from the second half of the 15th century and onwards, and because of general economic and social crisises, the city began to regress. After the year 1540, inhabitants had much difficulty in the Gorjanci and Zumberk with emigrated Uskoks who partook in marauding and banditry. With Counter-Reformation at the beginning of the 17th century, there began an era of renewed growth at the Kostanjevica abbey. In 1786 the Emperor Jozef II dissolved the monestary, and in its place was established a regional administrative centre. Throughout the 19th century followed the continuous collapse of the building complex which had experienced its worst blow in 1942, when it was set on fire by the partisans, and then in 1956 when the church's bell tower collapsed.

Renovated South Side Nave

Chapels of the pillar (sheaf form) from the 13th century

Renovation of the monument soon began after the war, in the framework of art history seminar, under the leadership of France Stele. It is still in progress today under the careful supervision of an expert group from the Ljubljana Republican Institution of Protection for Natural and Cultural Heritage. The oldest part of the building complex is the Church of St.Mary along with the remaining foundations of the ex-ground floor cloister. The ground floor plan accomodates the general plan of Bernard, and presents a three nave church, with a crossing nave and two pairs of chapels alongside the square choir. Besides the arch system, the church distinguished itself with very rich early Gothic capital work (calyciform with photographed tongue-shaped stylised foliage buds and palm leaves) of piers and engaged pillars.

Stylistic characteristics of the building plastic art, suggest a longer period of building in the second third of the 13th century. Building commenced on the east side of the church and finished on the west, as it was meant in the original plans. In the middle of the 15th century, the church was shortened on the west side by two buttress sections, and on this place there was built a polygonal storeyed chapel with cross ribbed vaulting, which was later raised into a bell tower. Around 1740 followed radical restructuring, the domes were baroque stylized, and the choir lengthened. In this time the west side of the church was added to and it was also given a new facade as well as the entrance to the monastery which was enhanced by the addition of two defence towers.

Baroque arch on the crossing of the main and traversal nave

Baroque scene facade of the monastery church and the renovated bell

The mural of Maria's Ascent to Heaven on the western facade and The Saving of the Monestary from the Invasion of the Uskoks in 1736, on the small wall between the defending towers, were painted by Franc Jelovsek between 1740 and 1742. In the second half of the 18th century they also expanded the monestary's great, two floor wings. The courtyard is not only one of the biggest archaic courtyards in Slovenia, but also in Central Europe. Rich church fittings had been after 1820 completely sold, and murals from the first third of the 16th century were destroyed. The church today is not consecrated and it is designated for occasional exhibits and concerts which are organized by the Bozidar Jakac Gallery.