Wienhausen Abbey, Lutheran religious community near Celle, Germany.
Wienhausen Abbey is a brick-built monastery with Gothic structures located near Celle. The complex features a two-story cloister, an 11th-century Romanesque church, and Gothic western extensions that form the main architectural ensemble.
The abbey was founded in 1230 by Agnes von Landsberg as a Cistercian nunnery. It converted to a Lutheran religious community in 1531 under Duke Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg, marking a major shift in its purpose and operations.
The nuns' chapel displays biblical scenes across its walls and ceiling, reflecting the spiritual art traditions of the medieval period. These visual narratives shaped how residents experienced prayer and community life within the abbey.
The monastery opens to visitors annually after Pentecost to display its notable tapestries collection from the 14th and 15th centuries. Plan a visit during this period for the best access to the interior spaces and textile displays.
Workers discovered the oldest known pair of rivet spectacles in 1953 during restoration work, dating to the 14th or 15th century. This find reveals that vision aids existed and were actively used much earlier than previously thought.
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