Werden Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Essen, Germany
Werden Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Essen, Germany, whose buildings include a three-wing abbey complex, an eastern farm building from 1737, and a western gatehouse completed in 1794. The east wing houses the St. Ludgerus Treasury, which displays the remaining church treasures of the former Benedictine abbey.
The Benedictine monastery was founded around the year 800 by Frisian missionary Liudger and maintained its status as an Imperial Abbey until secularization in 1803. After dissolution, the monastery buildings passed into state ownership and were repurposed for new uses.
The former abbey buildings have housed the Folkwang University of Arts since 1946, preserving educational and artistic traditions in the Ruhr region. Students and faculty use the historic rooms daily for lessons, rehearsals, and performances.
Visitors can explore the St. Ludgerus Treasury in the east wing, which displays church treasures from centuries of monastic history. Access to the grounds is available during daytime hours, though some areas may have limited access due to university use.
The monastery complex ranks among the few late Baroque structures within the present-day city limits of Essen. This architecture stands in contrast to the industrially shaped surroundings of the Ruhr region.
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