Maribo Abbey, Medieval monastery ruins in Maribo, Denmark
Maribo Abbey is a Gothic brick monastery complex in Maribo featuring red brick ruins of its original structures. The former abbey church now serves as Maribo Cathedral with a nave and high side aisles unified under a single roof structure.
Queen Margaret I established the monastery in 1416 as Denmark's first Bridgettine community and brought founding monks from Vadstena Abbey in Sweden. The establishment marked a significant introduction of the Bridgettine order to Danish religious life.
The abbey functioned as a dual community where nuns and canons shared the same church but lived in separate quarters on the grounds. This arrangement reflects the religious order's approach to monastic life and communal worship.
The site allows visitors to explore both the ruined sections and the active cathedral structure that remains in use. You can examine the Gothic architectural features alongside later additions to the interior furnishings and decorative elements.
The cathedral features an unusual layout where the chancel sits at the western end rather than the traditional eastern position, following Saint Bridget's specific instructions. This deliberate reversal of conventional church orientation reflects the distinctive character of the Bridgettine order's religious practices.
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