Cistercian Convent Zehdenick

The Zehdenick monastery was founded in 1250 - according to legend to commemorate a host miracle. The Cistercian convent quickly developed into a place of pilgrimage and a spiritual, cultural and economic centre of the area. After the Reformation, the monastery was converted into a convent for unmarried daughters of the nobility in 1541. The monastery was severely destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. In the fire of 1704 almost all written records of the monastery were destroyed. The monastery also burnt down in the town fire of 1801. The monastery church burned down and was not rebuilt.

Since 1946, the monastery has been a Protestant monastery in the association of the Protestant Church, now the Protestant Church Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz. The ruins of the large dormitory with the two preserved gable walls and the northern cloister wing with the preserved part of the cloister and several vaulted rooms from the 14th century are worth seeing. Zehdenick Abbey is one of the oldest Cistercian nunneries in Brandenburg.

In 2015, the monastery garden was transformed into a meadow orchard according to historical models. The historic monastery cemetery, which has been disinherited since 1910, was restored after sensitive preservation of the old substance and ceremoniously opened in April 2018. The area of the former monastery church was also inaugurated as a place of worship with an impressive wall cross, altar and benches in the open air.

In August 2019, the herb display garden at the dormitory wall was inaugurated.

In the summer months, the picturesque monastery courtyard and the Conventual Hall in the north wing are used as a backdrop for concerts and events organised by the Protestant Monastery. The monastery houses the Protestant Family Counselling Service and offers flats for families.

Im Nordflügel des Klosters unter den gotischen Gewölben befindet sich ein modernes, 2022 eingeweihtes Museum unter dem Titel: "Den Himmel im Blick. Das Kloster Zehdenick und sein Altartuch", und das Klostercafé, welches zum gemütlichen Beisammensitzen einlädt. Das Museum erzählt auf spannende Weise von der wechselvollen Historie des Klosters und hält auch eine Überraschung für Kinder bereit.