The Stift

The Stiftskerkje and outbuildings; remains of a Benedictine abbey founded in 1150. In 1300 it was inaugurated by the 'Stiftsjuffers', religious daughters from noble families. The Stiftskerkje is still in its original state; It was built in the 14th century. A service is held every Sunday at 10 a.m. In the church there is a baptismal font from the 12th century. Next to the church is the Stiftsschuur in Saxon architectural style, in which a restaurant is now located.

On the Stift and in the Stiftskerk you walk in the footsteps of people who have lived and worked there for centuries. It is more than 800 years ago that a community was founded here by Hugo van Buren. The commune was transformed in 1152 into a Benedictine double monastery in which both monks and nuns lived. A century later, the last monks left Weerselo, the – mainly noble – nuns remained.

In the first half of the 16th century, the freules formally changed their community into a (noble) Stift. The monastery in Weerselo increasingly received a noble stamp. Benedict's official rules were deemed too onerous for the noble ladies, so they were relaxed. The freules also formally changed their community into a "Stift", that is, the monastic rules did not apply to them to their full extent.

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