Franziskanerkloster Waldsee

The Franciscan Monastery was founded in 1650 following negotiations between the Waldsee council and Franciscans from Saulgau. For its construction, the town acquired the Schussenrieder Fluchthof and the Chapel to Himmelspforte, which was converted into the monastery church. Building materials were sourced, among other places, from the ruins of Neuwaldsee. The consecration of the monastery, which belonged to the Tyrolean order province, took place in 1656. The simple architecture highlights the order's ideal of poverty after the Thirty Years' War. The Franciscans were also active in parish pastoral care. The monastery was dissolved in November 1806 as part of the secularization process when Waldsee became part of the Kingdom of Württemberg. Despite a citizen petition, the dissolution proceeded, with parts of the monastery library being sold as waste paper.

The Franciscan Monastery is situated at Hauptstraße 10-12 within the old town of Bad Waldsee, in the Ravensburg district of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is integrated into the medieval town fortifications.

The original four-winged complex is now a horseshoe-shaped three-winged structure, as the street-facing wing has not existed since 1812. Preserved elements include cloister arcades on the ground floor of the north and east wings, vaulted cellars, and isolated cross-rib vaults. The north wing features an original panelled ceiling and a clay tile floor, while the east wing houses the so-called Angel Room with a stucco ceiling from 1730–1740. The roof truss of the former monastery church is partly constructed using old carpentry techniques. After secularization, the building served various state administrative purposes, including as a granary, cameral office, and seat of the district office. Today, the historic building complex houses the central administrative building of the town of Bad Waldsee, and the police station continues to occupy a part of the building.

• Waldsee Castle (Castle, approx. 391 m away)
• Hummertsried Castle Ruin (Castle, approx. 8371 m away)
• Aulendorf Castle (Castle, approx. 9552 m away)
• Winterstetten Castle Ruin (Castle, approx. 9542 m away)