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

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.

ioan masay (10 months ago)
Nice place for walking.

SCRABBIE (17 months ago)
Hidden gem…interesting exhibitions. Worth the visit

Barbara Berretta (2 years ago)
Very good Art Museum

Bear Heart (:zo.) (6 years ago)
Dont enter that maze there if you came only on short visit ;-)

Peter König (6 years ago)
My favorite stop on bike tours. Cafe and art in an old monastery.

Gravenhorst Monastery

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