History of the Monastery

Events in Steinfeld

Jahr

Events in the world

Construction of a church in historical obscurity around 920

900

Otto the Great (* 912)

950

Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (962-973)

1000

Leif Eriksson (975-1020) discovered North America in 1000 as the first 

First monastery founded in Steinfeld around 1070

1050

Canons Regular come to Steinfeld in 1121

Around 1130 they take over the Rule of the Norbertines

1142 laying of the foundation stone of the basilica in Steinfeld

1100

1184 Steinfeld is raised to a status of an abbey

1150

From 1095 to 1291 the Crusades take place - the goal is the liberation of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the "nonbelievers"

King Richard (the Lionheart) ruled England from 1157 to 1199

St. Hermann Josef died in 1240

1200

1250

1300

The plague shocks Europe in the 14th century

Under the rule of Abbot Gottfried Bongenberg (1381-1388), the monastery is attacked by the Bretons, the abbot is murdered cruelly.

1350

End of the 15th Century: re-erection of the cloister in Gothic style

1400

1450

Gutenberg printed the first Bible 1450-1456

Reformation in Germany: Martin Luther, theologian and reformer (1483-1546)

After many difficult years (including plague) from about 1500: Start of a new heyday for Steinfeld.

1522 to 1557 glazing the cloister with artful stained glass

1500

1534 Copernicus discovered the heliocentric view

1550

1600

Very difficult times for Europe: the Thirty Years' War (1618-1848)

1650

1700

Abbot Evermodus Claessen from Gangelt (1767-1784) gives the monastery its current shape, including the surrounding monastery wall with the large entrance gate.

1750

The French Revolution (1789-1799)

Napoleon Bonaparte (1799-1815)

1802: Abolition of the abbey by Napoleon, Monastery Church becomes Parish Church, St. Andrew's Church is demolished, monastery buildings are sold and art objects are squandered.

In 1844 the monastery comes in the possession of the Prussian state and becomes a reformatory

1800

1850

1923 Take-over of the monastery by the Salvatorians, foundation of a school and a boarding school.

1900

Hermann Josef is allowed to be venerated as a saint (1958).

1960 The Church of Steinfeld becomes a Papal basilica (basilica minor)

850 years of Basilica Steinfeld (1992)

1950

1969 Neil Armstrong landed on the moon for America

1990, Germany is reunited

2000