Kloster Holzheim

Kloster Holzheim is a Benedictine monastery in Neuss built beside St. Martinus Church on the former estate of the Helpenstein noble family. The complex includes structures designed to connect the monastic community directly with the adjacent parish church through architectural features.

The monastery's documented history begins in 1432 under Mother Superior Dena Mengwaters with a small founding community. It grew into an important religious center before being destroyed in 1642 during the Thirty Years' War, after which the resident community relocated.

The sisters participated in church services through a specially designed grille that connected the monastery to the adjacent church. This arrangement shows how daily life here balanced between solitude and participation in the wider religious community.

The site is located in the Holzheim district and sits directly beside St. Martinus Church, making it easy to visit both places together. The historic buildings can be viewed from the outside, and the spatial relationship to the neighboring church helps visitors understand the site's significance.

After the destruction during the Thirty Years' War, the resident Augustinian nuns left the original site and relocated to Marienberg Monastery. This displacement shows how warfare forced religious communities to abandon their established homes and start anew in different locations.