Kreuzkloster (Braunschweig, Germany)

The monastery's origins lie in a Benedictine convent, whose foundation is attributed to Knight Balduin von Campen. In 1230, Balduin's brother Jordan was the first to be buried in the monastery church, which was first documented as "Sanct Crucis" in 1241. Around 1400, it was transformed into a Cistercian monastery, inhabited by nuns of this order until 1532. A convent diary from 1484 to 1507, written by a nun, offers insights into monastic life at the time. After the Reformation in Braunschweig in 1528, the Catholic monastery initially continued to exist, but in 1532 it was converted into a Lutheran women's convent. The last Catholic abbess, Gertrud Holle, was deposed and replaced by the Lutheran Adelheid von Lafferde. From then on, the canonesses dedicated themselves to nursing the sick and running a girls' school. The number of canonesses fluctuated between 12 and 15 between the 16th and 17th centuries, while the number of girls taught increased from 15 to 24. In 1800, the convent consisted of a domina, a provost, and 14 canonesses. During the Protestant era, the monastery was managed by two council members or respected citizens, who were overseen by a secular administrator, the provost. After 1671, the canonesses no longer came from wealthy merchant and artisan circles, but were daughters and widows of deserving ducal officials or clergy.

The former monastery grounds were located in the city of Braunschweig in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The Kreuzkloster was completely destroyed during the bombing of Braunschweig on October 15, 1944, and was not rebuilt. Today, the only visible remnants of its over 700-year history are the cemetery and the sexton's house.

• Dankwarderode Castle (approx. 1108 m away)
• Braunschweig Cathedral (approx. 1114 m away)
• Braunschweig Palace (approx. 1387 m away)
• Richmond Palace (approx. 3354 m away)