Grafschaft Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Schmallenberg, Germany.
Grafschaft Abbey is a former Benedictine monastery with buildings made of light sandstone, arched windows, and a church with a distinctive tall tower. The complex sits in quiet countryside and now houses a hospital with modern medical facilities.
The monastery was founded in 1001 and operated as a Benedictine community for centuries. After secularization in 1803, it was dissolved and eventually transformed into a hospital.
The place carries the name of a medieval county and is shaped today by sisters who run a hospital here. Daily life blends religious traditions with modern healing efforts for patients with respiratory conditions.
The site is reachable by road and lies near the village center of Schmallenberg. The grounds are largely visible, but parts of the complex are restricted due to the active hospital operation.
The grounds house one of Germany's largest respiratory weaning centers, where patients learn to become independent from artificial ventilation. This specialized medical role emerged only after 1948 and transformed the old monastery in an entirely new way.
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