Franziskanerkloster Kempen

The founding of the Franciscan Monastery Kempen in 1624 followed sporadic visits by Franciscan friars from Dorsten who dedicated themselves to pastoral care. Archbishop Ferdinand of Cologne supported the monastery's establishment to strengthen the Counter-Reformation in the Lower Rhine. Concrete plans took shape when Nikolaus Halver bequeathed his house to the Franciscan Monastery Venlo. As this building was deemed too small, contacts were established with the Franciscan Monastery Düren through the mediation of Johann Wilmius and Father Edmundus Sylvius. Father Henricus Laurentius was then commissioned by the General Commissar of the Observants to advance the foundation in Kempen. Archbishop Ferdinand granted official approval on May 31, 1624, and Father Laurentius was appointed as the first superior. Together with Brother Adam Lammersdorf, he moved into the Halver house, while the hospital chapel served as a temporary place of worship. Since the Halver house was found to be insufficient, the Observants acquired the more spacious Katharinenhof in August 1624. With financial support from the Archbishop of Cologne and donations, master builder Leonard Latom was commissioned to construct a convent. In November 1625, the construction of an oratory began, followed by further monastery buildings between 1627 and 1630 under master builder Jodocus. From 1631, a separate monastery church was built, completed in 1640. The monastery complex included convent buildings with a cloister, the church with a sacristy, a chapter house, and a guesthouse. The monastery was secularized in 1802.

The former Franciscan Monastery is located in Kempen, a town in the Viersen district of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

The Franciscan Monastery Kempen is now a cultural monument and bears witness to the rich history of the region. The exact current use or condition cannot be determined from the available facts.

• Kempen Castle (Castle, approx. 148 m away)
• Bockdorf Manor House (Kempen) (Manor and Estate House, approx. 2592 m away)
• Stiegerhof Manor House (Kempen) (Manor and Estate House, approx. 2969 m away)
• Velde Castle (Boves) (Castle, approx. 3363 m away)