Carmelite Monastery

The Carmelite Monastery was founded in 1246 by monks from Cologne. Thanks to the support of Frankfurt patricians, who organized themselves into brotherhoods, the monastery church of St. Mary could be built. This developed into one of the largest building complexes in Frankfurt's Old Town. The nave was completed by 1270, the choir was added by 1290, and the transept was built from 1300. Between 1424 and 1520, the church underwent an extensive late Gothic expansion, probably under the direction of Madern Gerthener. During this period, the choir was raised, the nave and transept were redesigned, and the St. Anne's Chapel was added. From 1460 to 1520, the monastery buildings north of the church were also renovated, including a new cloister, the dormitory, the chapter house, and the refectory. During this heyday, Jörg Ratgeb created significant murals from 1513 to 1523. After the Reformation, the monastery lost importance as a Catholic enclave but enjoyed imperial protection until 1595. From 1590 to 1591, Giordano Bruno resided here. In 1803, the monastery was secularized, and its possessions passed to the city. In the 19th century, the church served as a warehouse and the monastery buildings as barracks. In the 20th century, the monastery was used as a stage house. After the First World War, the murals and refectory were restored. On March 22, 1944, the complex was largely destroyed by bombing raids, but after 1950, it was provided with an emergency roof.

The Carmelite Monastery is located in Frankfurt am Main, in the state of Hesse, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 100 meters above sea level.

Today, the former Carmelite Monastery houses the Institute for Urban History and the Archaeological Museum. The complex is protected as a cultural monument in Hesse.

• Saalhof Castle (castle, approx. 333 m away)
• Palais Rothschild (residence, approx. 342 m away)
• Kaiserpfalz Ruin (ruin, approx. 481 m away)
• Kaiserdom St. Bartholomäus (sacred building, approx. 527 m away)