This is a list of Christian religious houses, both for men and for women, whether or not still in operation, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Most religious houses survived the Reformation, although many nunneries did so by becoming Lutheran collegiate foundations for women of the aristocracy (Damenstifte). The great majority were closed however during the secularisation of the Napoleonic period, with the exception of the hospital orders, such as the Alexians and their female equivalents, the Cellite Sisters, the number of whose houses is a notable feature of the Land. Also noteworthy are the small communities of local origin, such as the Olpe Sisters (Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration) and the Schervier Sisters (Poor Sisters of St. Francis). Extant religious houses are indicated by bold type.
Beckum Abbey (Kollegiatstift St. Stephanus), Beckum: men's collegiate foundation 1267–1811
Bedburg Abbey (Marienstift Bedburg), Bedburg-Hau: Premonstratensians, before 1138 – c. 1270; regular canonesses c. 1270–1519; secular canonesses 1517–1802; moved to Cleves in 1604
Brenkhausen Abbey (Kloster Brenkhausen), Brenkhausen near Höxter: Cistercian nuns c1245[4] re-settled with Benedictine nuns from Corvey 1601–1803; from 1993 monastery and bishop's seat of the Coptic Church in Germany[5]
Brilon Friary (Minoritenkloster Brilon), Brilon: Friars Minor 1653–1803
Clarholz Abbey (or Priory) (Stift or Kloster Clarholz), Herzebrock-Clarholz: Premonstratensian canons before 1146–1803 (fdd 1133 in Lette in Oelde as a double monastery, but separated by 1146, and canons moved to Clarholz, while nuns stayed in Lette)
Cleves Abbey or Priory (Stift Kleve), Cleves: canons 1334–1802
Hagenbusch Abbey (Kloster Hagenbusch), Xanten: Benedictine nuns c. 1140-1802
Haldem Abbey or Priory (Damenstift Haldem or Karolinen-Stift), otherwise Schloss Haldem (Haldem Castle), Haldem, Stemwede: women's collegiate foundation 1878-1890
Herstelle Abbey, otherwise Abbey of the Holy Cross, Herstelle (Abtei vom Hl. Kreuz, Herstelle), Beverungen: Friars Minor nk-1825; Benedictine nuns of the Most Holy Sacrament 1899-1924; Benedictine nuns 1924-today
St. Mary's Priory, Lemgo (Kloster Sankt Maria, Lemgo), Lemgo: Dominican nuns (dates tbe)
Lette Abbey or Priory (Kloster Lette), Lette, Oelde: Premonstratensian double monastery 1133-before 1146; canons moved to Clarholz before 1146, thereafter Premonstratensian nuns (end date tbe)
St. Elisabeth's House, Hitdorf, Leverkusen: Olpe Sisters (dates tbe)
Lübbecke Priory or Abbey (Stift St. Andreas, Lübbecke), Lübbecke: canons 1295-1810[13]
St. Anthony's Convent, Lüdinghausen (St.-Antonius-Kloster, Lüdinghausen), Lüdinghausen: Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement and the Love of Christ, also known as the Lüdinghauser Sisters, c. 1900-today
Metelen Abbey (Stift or Kloster Metelen), Metelen: nuns (order unknown) 889-C13; canonesses (secular or regular, but Augustinian for some of the time) 13th century-late 15th century; women's collegiate foundation (Damenstift) late 15th century-1803
Immaculata Convent (Kloster Immaculata), in the former Villa Leuchtenberg: Barmherzige Schwestern nach der Regel des hl. Augustinus (Merciful Sisters of the Rule of St. Augustine, aka Augustine Sisters of Neuss):[16] 1923-today
St. Joseph's Convent (Josefskloster, Neuss): Barmherzige Schwestern nach der Regel des hl. Augustinus (Merciful Sisters of the Rule of St. Augustine, aka Augustine Sisters of Neuss): 1858-1923
Odacker Priory (Kloster Odacker), Hirschberg, Warstein: early days obscure, but possibly some sort of small religious establishment from c. 1000; cell of Augustinian canonesses probably from 13th century, although not mentioned explicitly until 1508; Benedictine nuns (not later than) 1513-1804
Oedingen Abbey or Priory (Damenstift Oedingen), Oedingen, Lennestadt: women's collegiate foundation 1000-1533
Reichenstein Abbey (Kloster Reichenstein), Kalterherberg in Monschau: Premonstratensian double monastery 1131/36-date tbe, when canons moved to Steinfeld Abbey; Premonstratensian nuns to 1487; replaced by Premonstratensian canons from Steinfeld 1487-1802; construction work on premises for Benedictine monastery begun in 2008
Rengering Abbey or Priory (Kloster Rengering), Ostbevern: Cistercian nuns 1247-1803
Steinhaus Abbey also known as Beyenburg Abbey (Kloster Steinhaus or Kloster Beyenburg), Beyenburg, Wuppertal: Canons Regular of the Holy Cross 1298-1804 and 1964-today
Haus Maria im Venn, Venwegen, Stolberg: Christenserines (Christenserinnen, a congregation of Cellite Sisters) 1973-today (moved here from the motherhouse in Aachen)
Störmede Priory, also known as Nazareth Priory (Augustinerinnenkloster Störmede, Kloster Nazareth or Annenkloster), Störmede, Geseke: Augustinian canonesses 1483-1804
^this was the first monastery in Cologne to be dissolved by French
^there were formerly a further five congregations of Cellite Sisters in Cologne: the Cellite Sisters of Little Saint Ursula (Cellitinnenkloster Klein Sankt Ursula); the Cellite Sisters of the Trinity (Cellitinnenkloster Dreifaltigkeit); the Cellite Sisters at the Cell (Cellitinnenkloster „Zur Zelle“); the Cellite Sisters of Little Nazareth (Cellitinnenkloster Klein-Nazareth ); and the Cellite Sisters of Zederwald (Cellitinnenkloster Zederwald)
^so named because it was formerly the hermitage (Eremitage) of a Jesuit between 1684 and 1733
^from c1650 this community was mixed Roman Catholic and Lutheran
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