According to a legend, a pilgrimage church was founded in Hejnice already in 1211. The first written mention of Hejnice is from 1381. In 1692, count František Gallas established a Franciscan monastery, which helped the visibility of the village.
The former Franciscan monastery and its pilgrimage Church of the Visitation are the most valuable buildings in Hejnice. Today the monastery premises are used for cultural and social purposes and provide accommodation.
The Church of the Visitation was originally a small wooden church from the 14th century, which was gradually expanded. The most valuable object is a wooden Gothic sculpture of the Black Madonna from 1380. In front of the church stands the Marian column from 1695.
The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.