Arendsee Abbey

Margrave Otto I and his wife Adelheid founded Arendsee Abbey in 1183. It was subordinate to the Diocese of Verden and served to consolidate Ascania's claims to power. Construction of the abbey church, dedicated to Mary, John, and Nicholas, began in 1185; it was consecrated in 1208 and completed around 1240. The abbey buildings, parts of which are still preserved today, were erected in the mid-13th century. A monastic school for noble children was established around 1232. A provost's chapel was added around 1280 between the transept and the southern aisle and later raised by one floor. In 1481, 70 nuns lived in the monastery. Elector Joachim II secularized the monastery in 1540, transforming it into a Protestant women's convent for noblewomen. The monastic estates subsequently formed the sovereign office of Arendsee. The convent was dissolved in 1812. After a fire in 1826, parts of the monastery walls were used to rebuild the town, turning the monastery into a ruin. Between 1850 and 1851, the church underwent renovation, during which, among other things, a flèche was placed on the crossing and the interior was supplemented. The monastery grounds, excluding the church, were taken over by the town in 1921 and transferred to a support association in 1991.

Arendsee Abbey is situated in the town of Arendsee in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 39 meters above sea level.

The former abbey church now serves as the parish church for the Evangelical-Lutheran congregation of Arendsee. The church, cloister, and abbey courtyard are regularly used for concerts and other cultural events, including those within the framework of the Altmark Music Festival. The complex attracts approximately 12,000 visitors annually.

• Manor House Groß Garz (manor house, approx. 10483 m away)
• Manor House Priemern (manor house, approx. 10838 m away)
• Manor House Bretsch (manor house, approx. 11240 m away)
• Rittergut Scharpenhufe (manor house, approx. 14078 m away)