St Catherine's Monastery, Bremen
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
File:Bremen 1734, altes Gymnasium am Katharinenkloster.jpg
File:Zeughaus - Bremen.jpg: St Catherine's church as an arsenal]]
St Catherine's Monastery ({{langx|de|link=no|St.-Katharinen-Kloster}}) in Bremen, Germany, was founded in 1253 by the Dominicans. Today traces of its existence remain in the area of the Katharinenstraße and Katharinenklosterhof in the old town.
History
The brick Gothic building was Germany's second Dominican monastery after St Catherine's Monastery in Frankfurt. Its imposing church was consecrated to Saint Catherine in 1285.{{cite web|url=http://www.bremen-bremerhaven.de/material/CityIntitiative_CityGuide_D_GB.pdf|title=City Guide: Katharinen-Viertel|publisher=CityInitiative Bremen Werbung e.V.|access-date=31 January 2014|language=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204012744/http://www.bremen-bremerhaven.de/material/CityIntitiative_CityGuide_D_GB.pdf|archive-date=4 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} The monastery was extended in 1400 but was closed in 1528 as a result of the Reformation. The grammar school known as Schola Bremensis or Gymnasium Illustre moved into the premises and, from 1660, was served by the Bibliotheca Bremensis, the extensive library which was established there.{{cite web|url=http://altes-gymnasium.schule.bremen.de/deutsch/start.php?link=die_schule/geschichte_neu.php|title=Berühmte Persönlichkeiten am Alten Gymnasium |publisher=Altes Gymnasium Bremen |accessdate=31 January 2014 |language=German}}{{cite book|last1=Fuhlrott|first1=Rolf|last2=Liebers|first2=Gerhard|last3=Philipp|first3=Franz-Heinrich|title=Bibliotheksneubauten in Der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1968–1983|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nHndL_Bid0wC&pg=PA38|year=1983|publisher=Vittorio Klostermann|language=German|isbn=978-3-465-01567-3|pages=38–}} In the early 19th century, the church was the city's arsenal as can be seen from Jacob Ephraim Polzin's painting. For a short period from 1900 to 1905 it even became home to the city's historical museum with Johann Focke's collection. It was later used by local merchants as a storehouse. After suffering serious damage during the Second World War, the church was demolished in 1960.{{cite web|url=http://www.kreiszeitung.de/lokales/bremen/kloster-buecher-waffen-662687.html|title=Das Kloster, die Bücher und die Waffen|publisher=kreiszeitung.de|author=Thomas Kuzaj|accessdate=31 January 2014 |language=German}}
Remains
Today traces of the monastery can be found in the multi-storey car park designed by Carsten Schröck in the early 1970s.{{cite web|url=http://www.bremen-tourism.de/every-building-tells-a-story-the-old-quarter-and-schlachte-embankment-1#Katharinenklosterhof|title=Every building tells a story: Katharinenklosterhof|publisher=Bremen-tourism.de|accessdate=31 January 2014 |language=}} In the restaurant at No. 7 Katharinenklosterhof, once known as the "Refectorium", remains of the refectory, cloister and the chapter room of the monastery can be seen.{{WP-HB LfD|0642|Database Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Bremen}} {{in lang|de}} This history is recorded on an information plaque in the Katharinenpassage. The Katharinenpassage was built in 1984 to a design by Rosengart, Busse and partners.[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Infotafel_-_Katharinenklosterhof.jpg Information and QRpedia code], Bremen tourist board and Wikipedia, retrieved 31 January 2014
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/sdh/article/view/24442/32516 Timothy Joseph Senior, Reconstructing St. Katharinen – Archival Archaeology in Action]
{{Bremen}}
{{Coord|53|04|40|N|8|48|31|E|type:landmark_region:DE-HB|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:History of Bremen (city)
Category:Religious buildings and structures in Bremen (city)
Category:Monasteries in Bremen (state)
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1285