Abstract
There is a common assumption that medieval Cistercian monastic communities played a significant role in transforming their environments by clearing woodlands, reclaiming wetlands, constructing grange farms, fishponds, etc., and colonizing previously uncultivated lands. They were renowned for their superior agricultural farming techniques and for cultivating an interest in pastoral economy, obtaining several grants
(of pasture rights) in order to sustain their considerable livestock. While this image of the order is based mostly on well documented – and unique – examples from Western
Europe, in other regions, which were peripheral to the Cistercian expansion, their environmental impact remains uncharted. Our presentation draws on the example of
Plasy Abbey (Central Bohemia), where previous research already offered an interpretation different from the above-described model: most of the abbey farms seem to have been established with minimal investments.