Kloster St. Claren

The monastery was founded in 1284 on the initiative of Margrave Dietrich von Landsberg and his daughter Sophie. The following year, on October 4, 1285, the complex was consecrated. The monastery belonged to the Order of Poor Clares, a female branch of the Franciscans, and exclusively admitted daughters from noble families. Initially located outside the city walls, the monastery was moved to the old town of Weißenfels in 1301 due to security concerns. Throughout its history, it also served as a burial place for members of the margravial house. A unique feature was the temporary presence of Franciscan friars, who were buried in a choir of the monastery church. A German-language monastery chronicle from between 1350 and 1380 documents the history of its founders and the life of the sisters. In 1539, the Poor Clares' Monastery was dissolved during the Reformation. The last abbess, Euphemia von Plausick, and five of her fellow sisters were transferred to the St. Marienthal Monastery.

The former Poor Clares' Monastery is situated in the historic old town of Weißenfels in the Burgenlandkreis, a region in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is located at an elevation of approximately 107 meters above sea level.

After its dissolution in 1539, the monastery building underwent various uses. It was transformed into a Protestant women's convent in 1540 and later served as an electoral rent office and an administrative building. From 1664, it housed the Gymnasium illustre Augusteum and served as the official seat for various state government colleges. Between 1837 and 1908, a royal Prussian teacher training college was located here. Later, it housed the city library and the municipal museum. Today, the gutted building stands empty, but a local citizens' association is committed to preserving the monastery and making it accessible to the public. During cleanup work in 2015, medieval wall paintings with Christian motifs were discovered in one of the monastery halls.

• Freihof auf dem Georgenberg (residence, approx. 321 m away)
• Fürstenhaus (residence, approx. 387 m away)
• Prinzessinnenpalais (residence, approx. 413 m away)
• Herzogliches Ballhaus (castle, approx. 433 m away)