The Poor Clares' Convent of St. Clare in Cologne
A convent of Poor Clares by today's Roman Tower, documented from 1306 until its dissolution in the 1802 secularization.
Belonging to the "Second Order of St. Francis," the sisters lived a life of poverty modeled on St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi (1193–1253).
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Former Poor Clares' convent (Franciscan nuns)
- District
- Altstadt-Nord, in the Innenstadt borough
- Site
- Between "Auf dem Berlich," Zeughausstraße, St. Apernstraße, and Breite Straße
- Predecessor building
- The former "Parfusenhof" on the old Roman wall
- Cloister courtyard
- Roughly 32 × 35 meters
- First nuns
- From the Poor Clares' convent in Neuss, founded 1283
- Privilege
- Tax exemption granted by papal privilege in 1309
The convent received a papal privilege granting it complete tax exemption as early as 1309 – just three years after its founding.
History of the Site
The site lay at the northwestern corner of the old Roman wall and was originally covered by vineyards and kitchen gardens. Its owner was Richolf Parfus(e), one of Cologne's early mayors, whose estate—already mentioned in 1220 and measuring about 62 ares—he held as a fief from Count William of Holland (before 1265). The property stretched along the wall between the so-called "Parfusen-Wichhaus" and the later Klarenturm. The small Löwenpforte gate by the Klarenturm led down to the moat, which later became Zeughausstraße.
Founding of the Convent
In May 1265 the land passed from Werner, heir of Richolf Parfuse, to Count William of Jülich and his wife Richardis. Together with their sons Walram (d. 1297) and Gerhard, Richardis established a convent of Franciscan nuns dedicated to St. Clare, with the approval of Pope Benedict and Archbishop Wigbold. On 26 August 1304, Gerhard V of Jülich confirmed the transfer before the city's lay judges.
Building and Consecration of the Oratory
The bequest of the foundress Richardis, who died in 1304, and her sons secured funding for new construction and renovations, which began in March 1306. Parts of the old Parfusenhof buildings were incorporated, and the provisional layout included the wall's front tower as well as its northwestern corner tower. The cloister's north wing was likely linked to an initial small oratory, consecrated on 12 August 1306—the feast day of St. Clare—in the presence of Archbishop Henry, marking the convent's formal establishment. The first sisters were placed under the Franciscan order, founded in 1210 and present in Cologne since 1222.
Prosperity through Endowments and Dowries
The convent received donations of farmsteads, land, rents, and produce. Nuns sent from Neuss were joined by daughters from Cologne's city families as well as from noble families in the surrounding region; the dowries they brought rapidly expanded the convent's landholdings. Income from the mostly leased land, together with other revenues, contributed to its growing prosperity.
Timeline
- 1220First mention of Richolf Parfuse's estate
- 1265Count Wilhelm von Jülich and Richardis acquire the land
- 1283Founding of the Neuss Poor Clares convent (origin of first nuns)
- 1297Convent founded at the latest (year of Walram's death)
- 1304Gerhard V of Jülich confirms the donation of the land
- 1306Construction begins and convent occupied, oratory consecrated 12 August
- 1309Papal privilege grants the convent tax exemption
- 1335Cunigunde, widow of Hermann von M., issues a decree (16 June)
- 1802Secularization and dissolution of the convent
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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-09-07
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