St. Katharina

The monastery's founding in 1618 by Count Johann III and his wife Sabina Catharina occurred during the reintroduction of the Catholic faith in the County of Rietberg. Originally designed for twelve friars, the establishment was elevated to a convent of the Saxon Franciscan Province in 1628. The monastery buildings, which largely still stand today, were constructed between 1716 and 1725 and later expanded in the 1730s and 1740s. For centuries, Rietberg served as a study monastery for the order's novices and was instrumental in managing the Gymnasium Nepomucenum, founded in 1743. Unlike many other monasteries, the Franciscan Monastery Rietberg survived the secularization in the early 19th century, not least due to the local population's commitment to preserving the Gymnasium. It was not until 1842 that the Franciscans were again allowed to accept novices, having previously had to relinquish responsibility for the Gymnasium due to staff shortages.

The monastery is situated in Rietberg, part of Gütersloh in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 81 meters above sea level.

The Franciscan Monastery Rietberg is today a protected architectural monument, bearing witness to a rich history and architectural development.

• Herrenhaus Aussel (Batenhorst) (Manor House and Estate, approx. 7517 m away)
• Schloss Rheda (Castle, approx. 10283 m away)
• Herrenhaus Neuhaus (Wiedenbrück-St.Viet) (Manor House and Estate, approx. 11013 m away)
• Schloss Bosfeld (Castle, approx. 13457 m away)