Kloster Barthe

Barthe Abbey was founded as a convent for nuns by Premonstratensians between 1170 and 1184, likely as a daughter monastery of the double abbey of Dokkum. The exact founding document has not survived. It is believed that the founding was also influenced by the von Are family, who sought positions of power in the East Frisian-Groningen coastal area. The name Barthe probably derives from a 10th-century settlement called Birgithi. The first inhabitants likely came from areas east of the Ems. The monastery was built on a geest plateau at the eastern edge of a marshy lowland. From its inception, Barthe was a women's monastery and was led by a provost and a prioress. In 1287, the convent reportedly had 40 inhabitants. Following the Reformation, the monastic community gradually dissolved by the early 17th century. During the secularization, Count Enno II appropriated the monastery's land around 1533. Excavations between 1988 and 1992 uncovered the floor plans of individual buildings.

The former Premonstratensian Abbey of Barthe is situated near Leer in Lower Saxony, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 14 meters above sea level.

The remains of Barthe Abbey are now a subject of research, with its floor plans revealed through excavations. It serves as a testament to the early history of the order in East Frisia.

• Stikelkamp Manor (manor house and estate, approx. 4146 m away)
• Uppingaburg Noble Residence (castle, approx. 7939 m away)
• Stickhausen Castle (castle, approx. 10229 m away)
• Philippsburg Castle (palace, approx. 11420 m away)