Parish church
Franziskanerkloster Lunden

The Franciscan Monastery Lunden, located in Schleswig-Holstein, was a short-lived religious institution that existed in the early 16th century. Its foundation was closely linked to the re-dedication of an earlier Benedictine nunnery and represented an attempt to enhance the importance of Lunden.
History+
The origins of the Franciscan Monastery Lunden trace back to a vow made after the Battle of Hemmingstedt in 1500, which led to the establishment of a Benedictine nunnery. However, this nunnery was converted in 1513 and relocated to Lunden, with Pope Leo X confirming the new foundation in 1517. The unfinished buildings in Hemmingstedt were dismantled, and the materials were used for the new monastery in Lunden. It is unknown to what extent the building plans could be fully realized during the monastery's brief existence; only the collapse of a refectory wall in 1520 is recorded. The Romanesque parish church of St. Laurentius was adapted for use by the Franciscan friars, with the extension of the Gothic choir using bricks still visible today. Although Lunden was not a city at the time of the monastery's foundation, it was granted town rights in 1529. The establishment of the monastery aimed to position Lunden as a counterpart to Meldorf, which already housed a Dominican monastery. The observant Franciscan friars came from outside the region, and the monastery joined the Saxon Franciscan Province in 1520. The Reformation led to the dissolution of the monastery; Franciscan friars are last mentioned in 1531. The first German-language mass in St. Laurentius Church in April 1532 and a Lutheran sermon in May 1533 marked the end of the monastic presence. The buildings were demolished by 1539, and today, apart from the extended choir of the church, no visible traces remain.
Location+
The Franciscan Monastery Lunden was situated in what is now Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in the municipality of Lunden.
On site+
No visible traces of the original monastery buildings remain today, apart from the extended choir of St. Laurentius Church, which indicates the alterations made for the Franciscans.
Nearby+
- Hoyerswort Manor House (manor and estate house, approx. 5579 m away)
- Franciscan Monastery Husum (monastery, approx. 16292 m away)
- Husum Castle (castle, approx. 16292 m away)
- Benedictine Nunnery Hemmingstedt (monastery, approx. 21260 m away)
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Location: 54.3345, 9.0205