Between Zittau and Görlitz, south of Ostritz lies directly on the Neisse River the monastery St.Marienthal. The monastery is a Cistercian abbey and the oldest women’s monastery of the order in Germany.
Monastery history
The history of the foundation of the monastery has been handed down within the monastery. It is said to have been in 1234, when Kunigunde, the wife of King Wenceslas of Bohemia founded the monastery near the trade route from Prague to Görlitz. There is a document, but it only proves that she donated the village of Seifersdorf to an existing convent.
Over the years, the abbey acquired large landholdings. The nuns ran some of the estates themselves and a bailiff represented the monastery in economic and legal matters.
Over the years, the monastery was almost always inhabited. Only during the Hussite wars, when the abbey was destroyed in 1427, the nuns moved to Görlitz for a short time. In 1707, the Northern War drove the nuns away a second time. Fires and floods also destroyed the monastery, but it was always rebuilt.
St.Marienthal Monastery after the Reformation
During the Reformation, many monastery villages converted to the Protestant faith. Now the monastery had to appoint Protestant pastors and bailiffs as patron. However, they managed to prevent the conversion of the monastery into a secular ladies’ monastery.
In 1831 the Saxon constitution assured the continuity and all the traditional rights and freedoms. St.Marienthal had 21 places at the beginning of the 19th century, 4 districts 1838 they founded an orphanage and a school.
During the Second World War, a military hospital was housed in the convent. The refusal of the nuns to leave the convent prevented the Nazis from blowing it up at the end of the war.
Monastery history after World War II
With the new border demarcation after 1945, the monastery St.Marienthal lost numerous properties, which were now in Poland. Unlike many other landowners, they were not expropriated in the course of the land reform of the GDR. In 1955 and 1979 the monastery founded care facilities for disabled people.
After the fall of communism (1992), the International Meeting Center St. Marienthal was founded with the aim of promoting reconciliation and understanding in the border triangle of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. The convent leased a large part of the dilapidated buildings to the foundation. These were converted into guest houses and event venues. From dormitories to single rooms, there is now the possibility to stay overnight in 150 beds.
Today, 10 nuns still live in the convent of St. Marienthal according to the principle “Ora et labora” – “Pray and work”. Each sister has her own area of activity, which can range from tasks in the house, kitchen, garden, church, monastery gate, laundry, sewing room with parament embroidery, monastery store, administration and guest services. The Cistercian nuns live according to the rules of St. Benedict (ca. 480-547) and align the daily rhythm with the times of prayer.
Tour of the grounds of the monastery St.Marienthal
The monastery grounds include the convent buildings with the abbey, the monastery church, the provostry, the chapel of the cross, a bakery, a sawmill, the former mill and the former brewery.
The brewing license of the monastery went in 1998 to the private brewery Eibau, which produces the St.Marienthaler Klosterbräu “St. M”. The light and also the dark beer taste really excellent.
Directly at the monastery exists a vineyard, which is also still cultivated. The yield of eastern vineyard of Germany is pressed by a community of winegrowers.
The wine is very popular and is served on special occasions, such as the “Easter Seed Riding” event. Here, up to 100 riders and their horses first ride through the fields around the monastery, with a clergyman riding along to bless the seeds. In the monastery they ride together three rounds around the monastery yard and the abbess announces the good news. Afterwards there is a wine reception.
A tip, the evening view from the vineyard over the monastery grounds is just beautiful! Already the way up was a moment of pleasure – around me buzzed fireflies, like little blinking stars – I have not seen and experienced so far.
When you enter the monastery grounds, you will see the beautiful convent and the Trinity Fountain in the monastery courtyard.
The monastery courtyard is surrounded by numerous buildings that are used today, for example, as guest houses. I was able to take a look inside some of the houses. In addition to event and common rooms, there is also, for example, a modern kitchen for cooking seminars or for self-catering. I was allowed to spend one night in St. Hedwig’s guest house. My room was practically furnished with two single beds. I slept wonderfully.
Directly next to the guesthouse St.Hedwig is the garden of bible plants. Here, the former pig run has been transformed into a garden courtyard. In additional beds are planted medicinal, medicinal plants, herbs, spice plants, perennials, roses. The emphasis is on the Bible plants. About 110 different plants are mentioned in the Bible. Since not all of them grow in our climatic conditions, we present here a reduced selection. The covered terrace in the garden is intended for the use of the overnight guests and groups.
In no case should you miss a visit to the beautiful monastery church. When I entered the church, I could still witness the last minutes of one of the numerous devotions of the nuns. Their singing filled the nave and I could only listen devoutly. Afterwards, I took a closer look at the church. What I had never seen before was the retracted floor in the back of the church. Here the nuns pray in seclusion from other churchgoers, who also cannot enter this area.
During a small foray across the site, I have discovered some beautiful places. The visit is really worth it.
You can also rent bicycles in the monastery St.Marienthal and explore the area with them or you follow the signposted hiking trails and the forest adventure trail. Or you can take part in a guided tour of the monastery. The monastery is also located on a very beautiful pilgrimage route, the Via Sacra, which I discovered for three days.
On a side note, the monastery has also been a film location. Scenes for the crime thriller “Wolfsland: The Holy Grave” were shot on the premises.
Address:
St. Marienthal 1
02899 Ostritz
Disclosure: The visit and overnight stay at Marienthal Monastery was part of a press trip to Upper Lusatia. The article was written independently of the visit.
Leave a Reply