Franziskanerkloster, Medieval monastery in Dresden, Germany

The Franziskanerkloster is a medieval religious complex in Dresden featuring Gothic architectural design with characteristic stone construction. The site comprises multiple church buildings and chapels that reflect Franciscan architectural traditions from the Middle Ages.

The monastery was founded in 1272 and became a major center for the Franciscan order in the Saxon region. Its establishment followed earlier Franciscan presence in Dresden and significantly influenced the city's religious development.

The monastery served as a spiritual center for Dresden residents for centuries, with its churches open to common people alongside the Franciscan monks. The complex shaped how the local community gathered for worship and religious observance.

Nothing of the monastery itself survives: its last remains apart from the church were cleared in 1820, so there are no cloister, chapter house or uneven medieval floors to visit. The site lies at the northwest end of the Große and Kleine Brüdergasse, both named after the friars; the monastery entrance faced the Kleine Brüdergasse. Look for the street names to locate the former precinct.

The monastery's church was rebuilt from 1351 under Frederick III as a two-nave friars' church with two choirs, an unusual form in German architecture. The Busmannkapelle, added around 1400 as a family burial chapel, held console sculptures of Lorenz Busmann and his wife, the earliest known depictions of Dresden residents.