Franziskanerkloster Warendorf

The settlement of the Franciscan Observants in Warendorf began on May 15, 1628, at the initiative of Prince-Bishop Ferdinand of Bavaria. After initial accommodation in a private residence, they moved into the Burghaus Bentheim in 1631, where they established a first chapel. In 1635, the establishment was officially elevated to a convent. Between 1652 and 1673, the still-existing monastery church was built on the site of the Burghaus. The monastery complex was expanded in the following decades with the construction of the south and east wings (1672) and the west wing (1683) and underwent further additions until the early 20th century. From 1675, the Franciscans took over the management of the municipal Latin school, which later developed into the Gymnasium Laurentianum. From 1690 to 1810, the convent also served as a study house for aspiring members of the order. For a long time, the monastery was a center of pastoral care and supported the surrounding communities. Despite the secularization at the beginning of the 19th century, which did not dissolve the monastery but led to reprisals, the population advocated for its preservation. The monastery experienced a new flourishing period from 1843, when its existence was officially confirmed. It housed the novitiate of the Saxon Franciscan Province from 1844 to 1945 and again from 1966 to 1983. During the Prussian Kulturkampf, the monastery was temporarily closed between 1875 and 1887.

The Franciscan Monastery is located in the city of Warendorf in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

The former Franciscan Monastery is now protected as a historical monument in North Rhine-Westphalia and bears witness to a long history of religious life and social commitment.

• Freckenhorst Castle (Castle, approx. 3860 m away)
• Schücking Castle (Castle, approx. 5167 m away)
• Haus Dieck (Castle, approx. 7666 m away)
• Vinnenberg Monastery (Sacred building, approx. 8713 m away)