A surrounding moat, wide meadow orchards and artfully laid out paths, plus a quiet inner courtyard and the neighbouring forest: the idyllic monastery green around the DA, Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst in Hörstel is a wonderful place to take a stroll and enjoy contemporary art. There are many exciting sculptures and interactive art installations to discover in the historic setting. You can even have a picnic on one of the artworks!
Gravenhorst Abbey can look back on 555 years of religious life. That's how long the Cistercian nuns lived here, cultivating a kitchen garden for the growing of food, among other things. Almost all of the farm buildings around the monastery have been preserved. The mill building, the bakery and brewery and the foundations of the old smithy tell of times gone by, when the stream supplied the monastery with fresh water, fresh bread was baked here and the mill pond was still full of fish. But the many changes of ownership since the end of the monastery in 1811 and the various uses that came with them have also left their mark.
After extensive restoration work, the old monastery complex has been used as an art centre since 2004, with a focus on contemporary art. DA stands for Denkmal-Atelier: a lively cultural centre with many exhibitions, workshops and summer studios for children, young people and adults that encourages them to think and create. The various exhibition formats naturally also relate to the garden, where nature, garden and landscape are the reference points for the site-specific installations.
There is, for example, the 'Weidenreuse' (2004), a walk-in artwork by the Swiss artist Marcel Kalberer, which is a reference to the hydraulic engineering of the Cistercian nuns. The room under the 'Heavenly Table' (2014), a joint work by Alexander Edisherov and Katerina Kuznetcowa, can also be entered. To send your own thoughts, wishes or dreams into the sky. Or simply to enjoy the view of the clouds. These and many other works of art, some of which are only temporary, transform the monastery green into a large open-air exhibition that brings together works from several decades.
Picnic on a work of artAs part of a project grant, Berlin artist An Seebach created 15 handmade picnic blankets that collage the past and present of the Kunsthaus. Since 2015, the unique pieces made from robust outdoor materials with fleece applications and photo prints can be borrowed free of charge from the Kunsthaus reception. Art you can touch! Café Clara in the DA also offers picnic baskets with regional delicacies.
The Art of PlayThe new ‘Kunst des Spiels’ play and social space at Gravenhorst Monastery now makes your day out even more enjoyable: this playground is a wonderful addition to the outdoor area, making a break at the monastery even more relaxing for adults and even more exciting for families with children. Afterwards, head to Café Clara for a cake break.
Have fun climbing, swinging and exploring!
The monastery garden can be visited at any time. However, as it is private property of Da Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst, the opening hours of the monastery grounds should serve as a guideline. Visitors should leave the grounds after dark out of consideration for the operators.
There is a free car park at the Gravenhorst Monastery park.
Leashed dogs are allowed in the park of Gravenhorst Monastery.
There are several picnic areas in the park at Gravenhorst Monastery. There is also a bench and table combination for a picnic by the neighbouring lake.
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