Wennigsen Monastery

Church and monastery

A visit to these buildings from the Middle Ages and the Baroque period is highly recommended. The Romanesque defense tower (circa 1150) and some sections of the wall are the oldest parts of the monastery church. The tympanum, which is now located in the entrance area of the monastery church, is the oldest architectural monument in northern Germany. The monastery buildings, as you see them today, were constructed between 1707 and 1725. However, the monastery’s history dates back much further. It was founded as early as around 1200 as a convent for Augustinian nuns. The oldest document dates from 1224. After 1542, when the Reformation reached the Calenberger Land region, the convent transitioned to a Protestant women’s convent. Since then, a Protestant women’s community has lived here. Today, Wennigsen Monastery offers a wide range of programs: in addition to meditation courses and open meditation days, it also offers the “Temporary Monastery” retreat option and monastery days. The monastery is led by the abbess, Gabriele-Verena Siemers.

For several years now, the Order of St. John has been renting part of the Wennigsen Monastery, which serves as its regional headquarters for Lower Saxony and Bremen. Rooms in the monastery are made available free of charge to the local parish. For many years, the Kulturkreis has held its concerts in the monastery hall. The Wennigsen Monastery is part of the group of other Calenberg monasteries (Barsinghausen, Mariensee, Marienwerder, and Wülfinghausen), which are also located in the Hanover region. All five monasteries are part of the assets of the “Allgemeiner Hannoverscher Klosterfonds” and are maintained by the Klosterkammer. (Klosterkammer Hannover, Eichstraße 4, 30161 Hannover)

On a guided tour through the old walls, you will learn much more, especially about the art treasures that still exist.

Information

Guided tours: Please register with monastery guide Constanze Kanz by phone at 0176-61 20 38 or by email at constanze.kanz(at)gmail.com.
The cost for adults is 4.50 euros. Children ages 6 to 14 pay 2 euros per person.

The all-inclusive price for groups of up to ten people is 45 euros.

Concert Evenings:
The Kulturkreis Kloster Wennigsen e.V. is a nonprofit organization with a history spanning nearly 60 years. It hosts festive musical evenings at the Wennigsen Monastery. The program ranges from classical chamber music to klezmer, wind and vocal ensembles, jazz, and crossover.
Internationally renowned artists frequently perform in the unique atmosphere of the monastery hall or the monastery church as part of their world tours.

In addition, special concerts for children are offered several times each season. An overview of the current concerts can be found on the Kulturkreis website. Tickets are available online or at the usual ticket outlets in Wennigsen, Gehrden, and Ronnenberg. Club members and subscribers are guaranteed admission and receive discounted prices.