{"id":24159,"date":"2023-07-07T10:09:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T08:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=24159"},"modified":"2023-07-07T10:09:23","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T08:09:23","slug":"holy-cross-monastery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/germany\/mecklenburg-western-pomerania\/rostock-warnemuende\/holy-cross-monastery\/","title":{"rendered":"Rostock Cultural History Museum in the Holy Cross Monastery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Holy Cross Monastery in Rostock is an important historical site in northern Germany with a long history. Walking along the ramparts, you can discover the site and find some beautiful quiet places for a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Holy Cross Monastery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1270 the Holy Cross Monastery was founded by Queen Margaret of Denmark, the wife of Henry Borwin III, the Prince of Rostock. It originated as a Cistercian convent dedicated to the veneration of the Holy Cross. Around 1300, about 20 nuns lived in the monastery. However, the influx was so great that as early as 1354 the number of residents had to be reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kloster<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The monastery was economically successful. The landed property and the income grew continuously. In the following years, numerous buildings were erected, including the monastery church, the cloister, the chapter house and other farm buildings. The south wing, for example, was built around 1307 and initially served as a dormitory and also had lounges and meeting rooms. A west wing, built in the 1st quarter of the 14th century, was used by the nuns as a winter refectory and the summer refectory and dormitory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time of the Reformation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Reformation movement began in Rostock in 1524. In 1531, the city council decreed that in the future only Lutheran preaching was allowed and that the monasteries were to be closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kloster<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The existing monasteries disappeared, only the Cistercian nuns resisted the reform. In 1584, by an inheritance contract between the dukes of Mecklenburg and the city of Rostock, the monastery was transformed into a Protestant convent for unmarried daughters of Rostock families and Mecklenburg nobles.
A new constitution was introduced with the convent order of 1586, which regulated the life of the conventuals. Since 1605, the Holy Cross Convent provided living space for 20 conventual ladies, who took a vow upon admission and brought in a dowry of at least 100 talers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, the nuns used the sleeping cells of the former nuns, but gradually apartments with several rooms were built within the cloister, which the residents could furnish according to their taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Klosterhof<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Closure of the monastery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the 17th century, the economic situation in Mecklenburg deteriorated and thus also for the monastery. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the property continued to shrink. Finally, the Holy Cross Monastery was closed in 1920 and the property was confiscated by the Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The nuns who lived in the monastery at that time retained their lifelong right of residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Second World War, the Holy Cross Convent in Rostock was severely damaged. After the war, the state rebuilt it and reconstructed it in its original form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kloster<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since 1960, the monastery has housed the Cultural History Museum of the City of Rostock, which presents an extensive collection of art and cultural objects from the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking through the museum, you get a good impression of the monastery building. It is possible to look into the courtyard of the cloister, the refectory and the monastery church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit to the Rostock Museum of Cultural History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Rostock Museum is one of the oldest museums in northern Germany. It houses one of the most important collections in the state with its cultural and art history collections ranging from painting and graphic art to handicrafts, coins, furniture, militaria, everyday culture and archaeology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally, the interest in fine arts in the city began in 1841 with the Rostock Art Society, which organized exhibitions of fine arts. In 1852, a group of citizens joined together in an association for the foundation, increase and preservation of a collection of art objects for the city of Rostock. This expanded the basic idea of the Kunstverein and worked both to create a permanent art collection and to exhibit it. In 1858, the association was able to acquire a building in which they displayed a permanent art exhibition. The acquired works of art were inalienable property of the city and made accessible to everyone free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n