Reinfeld Abbey

The Cistercian Abbey of Reinfeld was founded in 1186, with the official settlement by monks from the mother monastery Loccum occurring in November 1190. The stone monastic complex was built on the Heilsau, and the abbey church was consecrated in July 1237. The monastery quickly developed into one of the wealthiest in Northern Germany. It possessed extensive landholdings, reaching as far as the Baltic States, and held stakes in the Lüneburg saltworks. The monks were also known for establishing numerous carp ponds used for fish farming. Politically, the abbot of Reinfeld held influence and was entrusted by the bishops of Lübeck and the dukes of Holstein with the authentication of treaties. A rich library and the renovation of the monastic buildings around 1440 attest to the abbey's importance. During the Count's Feud in 1534, the monastery was besieged and plundered but managed to avoid major war damage. Despite the Reformation introduced in Schleswig-Holstein in 1542, the convent initially resisted successfully. The secularization finally took place in 1582 when the monastery was handed over to Duke John the Younger.

The former Reinfeld Abbey is situated in the Stormarn region of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, at an elevation of approximately 18 meters above sea level.

After secularization, parts of the monastic buildings were demolished to make way for a princely castle, which was built between 1599 and 1604. The remains of the monastic complex served as building material for this new construction. Today, only a few traces of the former abbey are visible.

• Monastery Wall (Monastery, approx. 83 m away)
• Frauenholz Manor (Manor and Estate House, approx. 4277 m away)
• Trenthorst Manor (Manor and Estate House, approx. 5766 m away)
• Rethwischhof Manor (Manor and Estate House, approx. 6576 m away)