Nonneseter Abbey, Medieval Cistercian ruins and chapel in Bergen, Norway
Nonneseter Abbey is a medieval ruin in Bergen consisting of a chapel building and a tower base wall from its early founding period. The chapel retains Gothic windows and a vaulted ceiling, while the tower structure stands near the city's public library and demonstrates Romanesque style from an earlier construction phase.
The monastery was founded around 1150 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, becoming one of Norway's largest convents with about 35 nuns by the 1320s. The shift to Gothic style in the chapel indicates a renovation of the complex during the 1200s.
The chapel displays medieval building methods with Gothic window shapes and a vaulted roof that reflect how religious structures were made in Norway centuries ago. You can observe the craftsmanship and materials that were common for monastic buildings of that era.
The chapel is located at Kaigaten 3 and functions as a concert venue where you can visit, while the tower base is accessible near the public library. Both sites are within walking distance of each other in central Bergen.
The tower base shows Romanesque style features that suggest an older building existed before the Cistercian order arrived at the site. This indicates the ground may have had religious use for longer than the official founding date would suggest.
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