Cloister @museum.de

Anyone entering the enclosure finds themselves in the cloister, which runs around the abbey’s four wings on the inside. The space is striking and very impressive!

According to medieval thinking, the cloister of an abbey or convent represented the Way of the Cross, in other words, the route across Jerusalem taken by Jesus during the Passion. This is where the nuns of Heiligengrabe would have retraced the story of the Passion.

During the early centuries of the abbey’s existence, the nuns also buried their dead here. On the south side of the cloister, opposite the Archive Tower, you’ll discover an almost unrecognisable sandstone memorial slab. This slab once covered the grave of Konegundis von Quitzow, one of the nuns living at the abbey in the 14th century. To preserve the stone from further wear, it has been set upright against the wall of the church.

In recent decades, the abbey has been extensively restored throughout. As a result, the cloister and the abbey courtyard have largely regained their late medieval appearance, which allows visitors to appreciate their overall effect.

Look at your screen to see what the cloister looked like before the restoration.

You’re welcome to open one of the doors and explore the inner courtyard. The atmosphere is extraordinary and quite magical.