Apartments
MonasteryHeide
Benden Abbey (Heide)
In the Heide district of Brühl in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis, the former Benden Monastery, once a Cistercian convent, is located. The preserved parts of the building have been restored and now serve as residential units. The choice of location on the upper eastern slope of the Ville, surrounded by the meadows of the Siegesbach stream, was typical for Cistercian foundations: it offered seclusion, fertile soil, and clear water, which allowed for the operation of their own mills.
History+
The first documented mention of Benden Monastery dates back to 1207, when Margareta von Hersel founded the Cistercian convent. A document from 1231 refers to it in connection with Knight Hermann von Merreche and also calls it Marienbenden. Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden granted the monastery immunity for its possessions in 1238. The monastery burned down several times, first in 1388. After another fire in 1503, it remained vacant for 30 years before reconstruction began under Abbess Christina Ruttenbach and was completed in 1589 by Abbess Christina Gebels. The spiritual supervision was the responsibility of the Abbot of Altenberg.
Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 50.8347, 6.8747