Kamp Abbey

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Terraced gardens at Kamp Abbey

Kamp Abbey (Kloster Kamp), also known as Altenkamp Abbey or Alt(en)feld Abbey (and in English formerly Camp Abbey) was the first Cistercian monastery founded in German territory, in the present town of Kamp-Lintfort in North Rhine-Westphalia.

[edit] History

It was founded in 1123 by Friedrich I, Archbishop of Cologne, and settled from Morimond Abbey. As the first Cistercian foundation in the region it attracted great endowments and became very wealthy and powerful. It was largely rebuilt in the 15th century.

It suffered extensive losses in the Reformation. It was severely damaged during the Truchsess War (1583-88) and abandoned. A small group of monks returned under abbot Polenius (1636-64), but re-construction did not begin until 1683, and the community did not return fully until 1700.

The abbey was secularised under French occupation on 6 August 1802 and the buildings were sold off, and mostly demolished. The church was converted for use as a parish church.

Between 1954 and 2002 a Carmelite community was resident here.

The abbey site is still known for the terraced gardens and the orangeries.

[edit] References

Geisbauer, G., 2002. Kloster Kamp, seine Äbte und Filiationen; Die Kamper Chronik - deutsch. Kamp-Lintfort: self-published.
Willicks, E., and Geisbauer, G., 2000. Kloster Kamp - Geschichte und Gegenwart, Kamp-Lintfort: self-published.