Bentlage Monastery

Rheine, Germany

In 1437, members of the Order of the Knights of the Cross founded the late Gothic Bentlage Monastery. It was extended again and again. In 1803 it was secularised and became the residence of the Rheine-Wolbeck principality. Only three years later it was handed over to the noble family Looz-Corswarem. They converted the former monastery into a castle.

Since 1978 the property has been owned by the city of Rheine, which developed it into a cultural meeting place and monastery museum from 1989 to 2000. The highlight of the exhibition there are two reliquaries, which are unique in their state of preservation in the German-speaking world. Sophisticated temporary exhibitions regularly attract numerous visitors.

References:

muensterland.com

Address

Bentlager Weg 130, Rheine, Germany

See all sites in Rheine

Details

Founded: 1437
Category: Religious sites in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

www.muensterland.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dimitri Sergeev (2 years ago)
Tip top

John Michael Voss (2 years ago)
Exceptional, must see, has a hotel, a Cafe and various other facilities, all in the true monastery style, but you need to walk a little

Robert Rosch-Iles (2 years ago)
Nice coffee and cake ? I enjoyed the current art exhibition.

Joris Kroos (4 years ago)
Nice to cycle by but not worth the detour. Cycling road is pretty though

Vitalie Zmeu (6 years ago)
Excellent place to relax and breathe fresh fresh air.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright diannlroy.com

Historic Site of the week

Jan Hus Memorial

The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.

Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.