Exhibition

Storied walls of history. The Frankfurt Carmelite Monastery

I’m joining a monastery! Perhaps this sentence has crossed all of our minds and has done so for very different reasons: perhaps to escape the stresses of everyday life. Or to do good for others. Or to devote oneself entirely to one’s religious faith.

The history of the Frankfurt Carmelite Monastery is as
multifaceted as these motives are diverse. The first thing we associate with a monastery is a series of buildings inhabited and populated by monks or nuns. The Frankfurt Carmelite Monastery has existed for almost eight centuries and served as a site of worship, a final resting place, and, for almost 550 years, as a site for festive occasions.

Over the past two centuries, the premises have been used for a wide array of purposes: as a warehouse, as barracks, as a school, as a fire station, as an artists’ studio, as a concert hall, as an exhibition space, a theatre stage, as office space, as a workshop, as a pub, an art stage, a city archive, and as a museum. The time of the monks is long gone. Yet, the name and architecture of the monastery are a lasting reminder of its faithful inhabitants.

The walls of the Carmelite Monastery are full of history and stories. Three dozen people tell us these stories from their points of view; they tell us about their personal connection to the Carmelite Monastery. Most of them have long since died, and so these texts are an interpretation of how the monastery might have affected them. You will certainly notice the 13 panels of questions featuring motifs from the liturgical vestments of the Carmelite Monastery. Please feel free to pick them up and test your knowledge. The answers may be found on the back of each panel.

The monastery is and was a place of constant structural change. So, please feel free to explore the former state of the monastery in the centre of the room. Immerse yourself in times gone by and in the stories as well as the history of the Carmelite Monastery!

Downloads
Storied walls of history. The Frankfurt Carmelite Monastery (Translatiion of the exhibition boards)

Connected events
Guided Tour:
Workshop History:
Workshop History:
Workshop History:

Dates
10.10.2023 – 1.6.2025