Dorstadt Abbey

The foundation of Kloster Dorstadt took place in 1189 by Arnold von Dorstadt. Bishop Adelog of Hildesheim confirmed the endowment in the same year. The monastery was placed under the patronage of the Holy Cross, Mary, and the Trinity. After a period of growth in the Middle Ages, the 14th and 15th centuries saw setbacks, including a fire in 1438. In the course of the Hildesheim Diocesan Feud, Dorstadt fell to the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg in 1519 and was later, after the introduction of the Reformation in the Duchy, converted into an evangelical women's convent. With the restoration of the Prince-Bishopric of Hildesheim in 1643, the monastery returned to Catholic ownership. After another fire in 1646, the reconstruction of the monastery complex in Baroque style began in 1680 and was completed in 1720. The monastery church also served as a Catholic parish church. In 1810, Kloster Dorstadt was secularized and became private property.