Ewig Monastery

The Ewig Monastery was a settlement founded in 1420 by Augustinian canons in the district of the same name in the town of Attendorn in the Sauerland region. It existed until its abolition in 1803. Today, the former monastery buildings form part of the Attendorn prison.

The founder was the Attendorn merchant Heinrich Weke, in connection with two farms at Listernohl to the Augustinian canons of Neuss. The economic basis of the monastery was the Ewig manor, which had existed since the 13th century, with a number of leased farms and other property. The monastery buildings were built between 1412 and 1429. The first head of the community was Johannes Sewaldi from the Böddeken monastery. It belonged to the Windesheim Congregation from the environment of the Devotio moderna. In addition to the prior, twelve brothers lived in the new monastery, based on the twelve disciples of Jesus. In 1674, the bailiwick rights fell to the von Fürstenberg family, who also owned the castles of Schnellenberg, Waldenburg and Bilstein at that time. Since 1683, the Augustinian convent of Störmede had been subordinate to the Ewig monastery. In 1726, the monastery buildings were rebuilt with the inclusion of an older church. Older buildings were demolished and the east portal was supplemented with figurative decoration. The monastery formed a large, irregular four-winged complex. The elongated main building has corner towers and a rich Baroque portal.

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