A history in photographs
.September 22, 2020 marks the 750th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Cross Monastery. In the Middle Ages nuns lived here according to the rule of the Cistercian order. In 1586 it became a Protestant convent for conventuals from well-off families of the city. The convent was officially closed in 1920. However, the last convent lady still entered in 1948 and died in 1981.Today, the convent is a museum and not only the oldest preserved building complex in Rostock, but also one of the most important architectural monuments of the city.
The Rostock Museum of Cultural History is using the 750th anniversary of the founding of this important historical institution as the occasion for an exhibition.
From now on, the museum will present an exhibition on the history of the monastery. While the church and monastery courtyard have been repeatedly depicted in photographs since the 19th century, historical photographs of the interiors are rare. The exhibition illustrates the history of the monastery and convent from the period between 1860 and 1965 with a selection of rare photographs, many of which have never been shown before. The focus is on historic photographs of the convent and its church, before they were built into the University Church and Museum, and its residents.
