Museum Klosterkirche St. Marien auf dem Münzenberg

About the museum

The St. Marien convent church was built in 986 as part of a Benedictine convent on the Münzenberg. It was founded by Abbess Mathilde of the Quedlinburg Imperial Abbey, a daughter of Emperor Otto the Great, in memory of her brother Otto II, who had died in Italy. The church served religious purposes until the convent was dissolved in 1536. Afterwards it was used for secular purposes for centuries and was built over and remodeled to incorporate twelve residential houses. Even so, the apse, transept, three-aisled nave and west block of an Ottonian basilica can still be traced today.

In 1994 Professor Siegfried Behrens and his wife bought one of the houses in which essential parts of the church had survived. Through further purchases, exchanges and considerable negotiating skill, the couple gradually reunited the scattered areas. In 2006 they contributed three houses with the most important remains to a foundation, which is now administered by the Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz (German Foundation for Monument Protection). In 2009 their commitment was honored with the Romanesque Prize (Romanik-Preis) of the State of Saxony-Anhalt.

After about twenty years of development, the museum officially opened in 2015; since 2017 it has been on the Straße der Romanik (Romanesque Road) tourist route. On display are the west and east crypts, parts of the central and side aisles, the nuns' gallery, and archaeologically secured medieval burials. Numerous finds such as half columns, capitals and reliefs convey a vivid picture of medieval architecture. The museum is run by an association that gets by without public subsidies.

Highlights

• West and east crypts of the Ottonian convent church
• Nuns' gallery and remains of the nave and transept
• Archaeologically secured medieval graves
• Finds such as capitals, half columns and reliefs
• Observation terrace with a view of the Schlossberg and the Stiftskirche (collegiate church)

Permanent exhibition

• Klosterkirche St. Marien – Rundgang durch die ottonische Anlage – The route leads through the crypts, the nuns' gallery, surviving nave sections and finds from the Ottonian convent church.

Founded

2015

Operated by

Museumsverein Klosterkirche auf dem Münzenberge e.V.

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free. The museum association welcomes donations (donation box in the room with the head-niche graves); for larger donations, a donation receipt can be issued on request.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The footpath from the Markt to the Münzenberg climbs a flight of 108 steps.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The entrance is at Münzenberg 4. From the Markt, the route runs via Blasiistraße, Hohestraße, Alte-Topf-Straße and Weststraße to a footpath that climbs a staircase up to the Münzenberg. The observation terrace is accessible during opening hours (private property, access with the owner's permission).

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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