Jerichow: Monastery

Klostergasse 1, 39319 Jerichow

The Romanesque cloister is the earliest big building made of bricks in northern Germany. It consists of the surrounding monastery wall, the collegiate church, conclave buildings and a variety of preserved areas with historical gardens.The crosswise stack basilica with its two west towers is structured homogeneously which gives the whole building a kind of solemn character. The monastery also includes a cloister. In 1631 the monastery was abandoned and converted into a royal agricultural property. In the rooms, grain storage, a calf barn and even a distillery were established. In 1853-1857 and again between 1955-1960, the monastery church and the interior in the Romanesque style were extensively renovated and restored. In 1977, a museum was opened in order to show visitors the history of the monastery; however, the monastery fell into disrepair in the 1990s, until finally, in 1998, it had to be completely closed for a year. In 2004, the "Kloster Jerichow Foundation" was founded. Today, where once stood the pigsties, historic gardens and raised beds invite visitors to linger.