Magdalenenstift Abbey

The origins of the Magdalenenstift date back to 1665, when Duke Friedrich Wilhelm II initiated the construction of a widow's residence for his wife Magdalena Sibylle of Saxony in Altenburg. The project came to an abrupt halt when the Duchess died in 1668, and the unfinished building was subsequently used as a granary. In 1702, Henriette Catharina von Gersdorff contacted Duke Friedrich II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. She requested support for the establishment of an Evangelical-Lutheran women's convent, which was intended to provide a home for unprovided noble women and educate noble children in the Evangelical faith. The Duke agreed and transferred the property to the convent. The completion of the building began in 1703, and on December 4, 1705, the convent was inaugurated. For over two centuries, it served as a boarding school and girls' school for noble ladies.