Gravenhorst Monastery, Hörstel, Germany

At the foot of the Teutoburg Forest, not far from the town of Hörstel, lies Gravenhorst Monastery, a former abbey of the Cistercian nuns. Surrounded by moors and orchards, the former convent with its church, convent buildings, mill and mill pond, bakery and brewery, imposing wall and historic bridges offers the image of an almost completely preserved convent complex: an absolute rarity in the northern part of Germany.

The history of the picturesque ensemble of buildings stretches far back into the past: in 1252, Konrad von Brochterbeck received permission from Osnabrück Bishop Bruno von Isenberg to found a convent for nuns of the Cistercian order in the Gravenhorst hamlet. Over the following centuries, the small convent was able to operate successfully and become an important spiritual centre for the surrounding area. The communal religious life of the Cistercian nuns was to continue for over 500 years. After numerous changes of ownership and conversions, the Steinfurt district took over the convent in the 1990s and developed a cultural utilisation concept: in 2004, the former convent was reopened as DA, Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst.

References:

muensterland.com

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

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ioan masay (15 months ago)
Nice place for walking.

SCRABBIE (2 years ago)
Hidden gem…interesting exhibitions. Worth the visit

Barbara Berretta (3 years ago)
Very good Art Museum

Bear Heart (:zo.) (7 years ago)
Dont enter that maze there if you came only on short visit ;-)

Peter König (7 years ago)
My favorite stop on bike tours. Cafe and art in an old monastery.

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