St. Willibrord's Abbey, Benedictine monastery near Slangenburg Castle in Doetinchem, Netherlands.
St. Willibrord's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Doetinchem with buildings that incorporate salvaged paving stones in their construction. The roofs feature an distinctive design where tiles are laid directly on concrete beams without traditional wooden supports.
The abbey was founded after World War II by monks from Oosterhout Abbey, who initially lived in Slangenburg Castle. The community built their current structures during the 1950s.
The meditation garden follows traditional Japanese Zen principles from Kyoto, offering visitors a space designed for quiet reflection. This carefully arranged space shows how the community here blends spiritual practice with thoughtful design.
Visitors can attend religious services and explore the monastery grounds throughout the year. The meditation garden and buildings are accessible during regular hours, making it easy to walk around and observe the architecture up close.
The current church building was originally designed to serve as the monastery library, not as a place of worship. Plans for a larger abbey church were never built, so this simpler structure became the spiritual center instead.
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