Liesborn Abbey & Assen HouseFirm belief

Church and religion, contemplation and encounters: the preservation of Christian values in different ways at the museum Liesborn Abbey and in Assen House in the Münsterland take centre stage. Sacred and other art treasures of inestimable value are part of the collections in one of the oldest monasteries in Westphalia, which Emperor Charlemagne probably founded in 799 in what is now the district of Warendorf. A place of living faith is the Renaissance castle of Assen in the Lippe Valley, surrounded by woods and moats, whose construction dates back 1,200 years to Emperor Henry II.

The greatest treasure preserved by Liesborn Abbey is undoubtedly the "Codex". In a roundabout way, one of the oldest fully preserved gospel manuscripts in Westphalia returned to its home in 2023 and can be shown to the public again more than two centuries after the monastery was closed. The "Book for Eternity", which was declared a cultural asset of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2018, will be presented in the sacred-looking Gospel Room. Visitors can browse through the valuable document virtually and learn more about the history of the former secular convent and later Benedictine monastery. However, the exhibitions in the historic building complex are not exclusively dedicated to sacred art. The museum also has a collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 17th century, presents objects of Westphalian domestic culture from the Baroque to the Biedermeier period and is in possession of numerous prints and drawings by the painters Wilhelm Morgner and Eberhard Viegener, who were born in neighbouring Soest.

It was a gift from the family of the "Lion of Münster": in 1997, the nephew of former Cardinal Clemens August von Galen (1878-1946) left the Assen House in Münsterland, which was originally built on two islands, to the Servants of Jesus and Mary (SJM). In the monument, which is richly decorated with masks, lion heads, coats of arms and inscriptions and is considered one of the most elaborate castles of the Lippe Renaissance, the still young Catholic religious community created a spiritual centre not only for the religious. The former "Borch tor Assen" is also open to the public on picnic and monument days as well as on guided tours, retreats and retreat days. First and foremost, the historic building is intended to be a place of encounter and community, bringing together young and old. The order therefore regularly organises family weekends. Following the ideas of scout founder Baden Powell, the participants sleep in tents, cater for themselves and experience small and big adventures together around the campfire. Fun and games are embedded in a liturgical and spiritual programme.

The Luxury Boarding Suites in nearby Erwitte Castle offer the perfect contrast to an air mattress or insulating mat for an overnight stay. The Rittergut Störmede on the edge of the Sauerland or Oberwerries Castle, which is located in Hamm directly on the Römer-Lippe, are also suitable starting points for a museum visit to Liesborn Abbey, a walk through the baroque park of Hovestadt Castle and canoeing, hiking or cycling tours in the region. Guests can choose between oriental flair and classic English country house style in the five cosy rooms in the listed Torbogenhaus.