Bredelar - Kloster

In 1170 the Archbishop of Cologne, Philipp von Heinsberg, founded a Philipp von Heinsberg a Premonstratensian convent here. The monastery church was dedicated to Saint Laurentius. In 1196, Archbishop Adolf I of Cologne converted the monastery into a Cistercian monastery. The first monks came from the nearby Hardehausen monastery.

The monastery property was expanded in the 13th century through donations. In addition, the monastery expanded its holdings through purchase and leasehold. At times, vineyards on the Rhine were part of it. The manuscript of the Bredelar Bible, created between 1238 and 1241, dates from the heyday of the monastery. In the 14th and 15th centuries, numerous feuds in the area and the consequences of desertification led to the economic decline of the monastery and almost the cessation of religious life. In the 16th century the economic situation improved, so that the monastery equipment could be improved.

During the Thirty Years' War the monastery was in such distress that in 1631 most of the monks left the monastery. Abbot Absalon Heuck (1640-1669) was able to restore the monastery buildings that had been damaged by the war.

In the period from 1726 to 1766, the monastery received a large baroque new building. The monastery suffered setbacks during the Seven Years' War when, in August 1761, fighting broke out in front of the monastery between troops from France and Prussia. Around 350 soldiers were killed in the battle. At that time, the monastery was forced to pay high contributions. In addition, a military hospital was set up for around 250 soldiers. The monastery complex was completely destroyed by a devastating fire in March 1787. The monastery was rebuilt soon after, with debts continuing to mount and by 1801 was over 40,000 Reichsthalers.

In 1802 the Duchy of Westphalia and with it the monastery fell to the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt. He had the monastery dissolved in 1804. The property became a state domain, which was initially leased. In 1842 it was sold to the hut owner Theodor Ulrich, who set up an iron foundry called "Theodorshütte" in the monastery complex. So it happened that between 1826 and 1870 the Ulrich company even installed blast furnaces in the monastery.

During WW II there was a large warehouse for textiles and household goods in the monastery complex. In April1945, this was looted by locals and former German prisoners.

Since about 1980, most of the buildings have been empty. Parts of the monastery grounds are now a cultural and conference center, but it was locked and did not seem busy.