Kreitz Monastery

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Kreitz Monastery

The Kreitz Monastery is a monastery in the Holzheim district of Neuss , located directly on the A46 .

history

The monastery was founded by Benedictine nuns in 1899 and made a priory in 1901 . On May 26, 1943, the monastery was bombed by American bombers. At that time there were about 60 sisters living in the monastery, 23 of whom were killed.

architecture

The monastery church was built in the neo-Romanesque style between 1896 and 1898 by the Cologne architect Heinrich Krings . Then the south and half of the east wing were added and the monastery was ready to move into on March 1, 1899. Only the east and north wings survived the bombing raid of 1943, but only with severe damage. The damaged buildings were restored and an emergency chapel was built in the north wing.

The destroyed monastery church was rebuilt in a simplified form on its old foundation. In 1961, a new wing with a guest house was built in place of the destroyed south wing. As a result of the expansion of the nearby main road to the motorway, the apse was removed and replaced by a straight choir closure. Furthermore, the altar was moved into the crossing and a new portal was placed in front of the south transept. Only a carved confessional is left of the former furnishings.

The monastery complex today

Today 23 sisters and one postulant live in the Kreitz monastery . The sisters finance themselves through wafer bakery, parament embroidery and running the monastery guest house.

Sr. Bernharda Wichmann has been the monastery prioress since 2001 .

Web links

Coordinates: 51 ° 10 ′ 9 ″  N , 6 ° 39 ′ 18 ″  E