Hardehausen Abbey

Hardehausen is a Cistercian monastery in Warburg with early Gothic cloisters and red tile roofs, organized around several quiet courtyards and old fish ponds. The buildings display stone walls from different building phases, with remains of a Romanesque column basilica that is now partly preserved and shapes the character of the site.

The monastery was founded in 1140 as a daughter house of Kamp Abbey and was the first Cistercian settlement in Westphalia. Later, it itself founded several branches, showing how it grew into an important spiritual center in the region.

The name refers to the stony soil of the founding region and describes the rough land that the monks cultivated. Visitors can still see today the terraced fields and water channels that shaped the community's daily rhythms.

The complex now serves as an educational center run by the Archdiocese of Paderborn, offering programs for school groups and adult visitors. Those wishing to explore the monastery should check ahead about current visiting options, as not all areas are accessible at all times.

During World War II, the monastery served as a labor camp for prisoners from Buchenwald concentration camp. After 1945 the complex was thoroughly cleaned and repurposed, so very few visible traces of this period remain.