Within their walls the spirit of prayer and contemplation has pervaded for centuries. The oldest of Cracow’s suburban monasteries is in Tyniec. The Benedictine monks came back here in the 11th century. Two centuries later Cistercian monks came to Mogila (today part of the Nowa Huta town). The monastery church and its abbey is a mixture of late Romanesque and gothic styles, and it is known for its famous 16th century paintings by Stanislaus Samostrzelnik. The last to come were the Camaldolite monks who made their base in Bielany on the edge of the wood of Lasek Wolski. Camaldolites were founded by St Romuald in the early 11th century. Seeking a life of austerity and silence they live in hermitages removed from the turmoil of everyday hustle.   More information: www.karnet.krakow.pl Tourist Information Center pl. Wszystkich Świetych 2 (Wyspiański 2000 pavilion) phone: +48 126161886 Open daily: 10am – 8 pm.