Amthaus, Former Cistercian monastery in Fraubrunnen, Switzerland.
The Amthaus in Fraubrunnen is a former Cistercian monastery with stone walls and architectural elements from the 13th century. The building complex consists of multiple structures along Bernstrasse and displays the typical layout of a medieval monastic settlement.
The monastery was founded in 1246 by Counts Hartmann of Kyburg as a convent for women from prominent families and wealthy burgher households. After the Protestant Reformation in 1528, the convent was dissolved and its buildings converted for secular purposes.
The building served for centuries as a home for women from prominent regional families who lived and worked together as a community. These residents shaped village life through their daily activities and made the place a center of communal living.
The building is located on Bernstrasse and can be viewed from outside to appreciate its medieval architecture and stone walls. Visitors should note that it is a protected cultural monument and access may be limited to the exterior.
After the French invasion of 1798, the former monastery was converted into an administrative center for Fraubrunnen district. Traces of a prison facility from 1823 remain visible in the buildings and remind visitors of this transformation period.
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