Frauenthal Abbey, Cistercian monastery in Cham, Switzerland.
Frauenthal Abbey is a Cistercian monastery situated on an island formed by two branches of the Lorze River, surrounded by forests and meadows north of Cham. The complex contains 26 residential and functional buildings maintained by the nuns who continue living here.
The monastery was founded around 1245 by Ulrich von Schnabelburg for noble women and was abandoned between 1530 and 1552 during the Reformation. After this interruption it was resettled and has housed a continuous community since its restoration.
The abbey church displays rococo forms with marble columns on the altar and religious paintings covering its walls. The nuns shape their daily worship and communal life within this architecturally distinctive space.
Visitors can explore the gardens where nuns grow vegetables for the kitchen and visit the monastery shop. Preparation is important since the location on an island means access may be limited at certain times.
The monastery is the oldest Swiss Cistercian community still operating at its original founding location. This continuity makes it a rare example of unbroken monastic tradition in Switzerland.
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