Kloster Loccum

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"The door is open, the heart even more so" is the motto of the monks at Loccum Monastery.
A visit to the monastery house, built in 1163, proves the motto and allows guests to travel back in time. Unique in its effect, it still conveys the impression of a medieval Cistercian monastery. The impressive surroundings with ponds and forest, on the other hand, owe their effect to the hydraulic engineering of the Cistercians and the landscaping of the early 19th century.

The monastery was founded by twelve young monks from Thuringia and their abbot. In seclusion, the monks wanted to live in poverty, solely from the labour of their hands - also as a protest against the pomp of the church. Their church was not intended to be a cathedral, but a simple house of prayer. The Cistercians' sense of austerity and simplicity can be seen in the sparse and geometric form of the building. The monastery complex is largely unchanged; in addition to the dining hall and library, the cloister and the monastery church are particularly noteworthy. The latter boasts a number of valuable artefacts (reliquary, choir stalls) and is also a frequent venue for excellent concerts. The collegiate church "Maria und Georg" is still the church of the monastery and also the parish church. The church is also open to visitors outside of guided tours in the summer months. The cloister and other sights can be seen during a 60-minute guided tour for a fee. In addition to books, goods from all over the world are also available in the monastery parlour - for example tea, coffee and cakes. The Loccum-Volkenroda and Loccum-Mariensee-Loccum pilgrimage routes also start here. It is also located on the Sigwardsweg pilgrimage route.

The monastery, founded in the deepest (and swampiest) solitude at the time, is still very much alive today in several respects: In addition to being a conference centre, the monastery houses a Protestant preacher's seminary and continues to serve as an internationally renowned venue for specialist conferences.

Loccum Monastery is part of the Cistercian Cultural Landscapes, an association of seventeen European Cistercian monasteries (www.cisterscapes.eu). Together they bear the European Heritage Label. This label recognises the key role played by the monasteries in European history and culture. A 6340 kilometre long cultural trail connects the individual monasteries. There is also a small monastery landscape trail (half-day tour) and a large monastery landscape trail (day tour).

Good to know

Openings

Eligibility

  • Bad Weather Offer

  • Suitable for any weather

  • for Groups

  • for individual guests

Contact person

Kloster Loccum
Company
Im Kloster 2
31547 Rehburg-Loccum

Author

Mittelweser-Touristik GmbH
Lange Straße 18
31582 Nienburg/Weser

Organization

Mittelweser-Touristik GmbH

Nearby

Getting there

Kloster Loccum
Im Kloster 2
31547 Rehburg-Loccum