The Convent of Wülfinghausen
The Augustinian nunnery near Engerode was transferred in 1236 to the southwest slope of the Osterwald and founded anew. The church, built in the same year, was consecrated to the Virgin Mary. The nunnery received a lot of donations but did not do very well because of the large number of nuns. The nunnery was sold to the Welfen in the 15th century and resisted Reformation for a long time. It was gradually converted into a Protestant convent. Since the 17th century the convent has an abbotess and twelve members who each have their own household. In 1728 most of the buildings burned down and were rebuilt in 1740. Only the church and parts of the cloister were spared.
Tel=+49 5044-1305

The Convent of Wennigsen
It is not known when the Augustinian nunnery in Wennigsen was founded. It was first mentioned in the documents of the Dukes of Schaumburg in 1224. It was not very prosperous, but managed to enlarge its possessions in the 14th century to make ends meet. After the Reformation, Wennigsen became a Protestant convent. The village and convent of Wennigsen suffered bady in the Thirty Years War. The Romanesque convent's church is also the parish church, the convent's building dates from 1711.
Address: Klosteramtshof 3-5, 30974 Wennigsen
Tel: +49 5103-454
Openings=Tue - Sat 10-11 am and 3.30-4.30 pm, Sun 3.30-4.30 pm

The Convent of Mariensee
Duke Bernhard of Wölpe transferred his Cistercian nunnery of Mariensee to his possesions in Catenhusen on the River Leine in 1221. The name of this institution replaced the old village name. The church, a one-naved brick building became the parish church during the Reformation. It was rebuilt in 1860. During the Reformation the nunnery was made a Protestant convent , which it still is today.

Address: Höltystr. 1, 31535 Neustadt a. Rbge
Tel: +49 5034-4777
Openings=Guidance: 30th march - 15th October; Open: Wed, Fri, Sun 3pm-6pm, Sat 10am-12am and 3pm-6pm
Admission=3,- DM

The Convent of Barsinghausen
The Convent of Barsinghausen was founded in 1193 by two noblemen. It was an Augustinian nunnery, later sold to the Welfen and became a convent in 1543. It was a very properous convent with possesions in more than 80 villages. In 1831 in the course of the development of the Deister mining industrya coal mine was built in the convent grounds. The mining came to an end in 1956. The picturesque church was built in Deister sandstone in the 13th century and shows element of the Gothic as well as the Romanesque style. It is one of the oldest three-naved churches in Niedersachsen.

Tours: May 12th to September 4th: Tue, Wed 3pm -5pm, Fri 4pm-6pm, tours upon request
Address: Bergamtstr. 8, 30890 Barsinghausen
Tel: +49 5105-61938

Church of Ronnenberg
St. Michael was erected in the 12th century as a Romanesque basilica in the place of what was probably a pagan shrine. The well-known Hannoverian architect Hase redecorated the church in 1876 and gave it its present appearance. The portal of an ancient chapel, St. Bonifatius, which was mentioned in 1908 and pulled down in 1660 was built into St. Michael's outer wall and it is said that this portal bears elements of Merowingian and Langobardic style and would thus be unique in Niedersachsen.

Church of Idensen
The old church of Idensen is something very extraordinar, y. Bishop Sigward of Minden (1120-40) must have had close links to the old villiage of Idanhusen - it was probably his home. He had this Romanesque church built as his private church, had four altars installed and consecrated it to St. Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins. The inner walls were decorated with fresco paintings by well-known painters of the time. The style is Byzantine. The painters used minerals for the colours like lapislazuli and malachite. The precius paintings were whitewashed in the time of the Reformation and restored only recently. The outer walls in carefully arranged Deister sandstone and the church tower with the stork's nest are also worth a visit. Hannover's well-known architect Hase saved the old church in 1888 from being demolished and thus preserved a precious old monument that is unique in Niedersachsen.

The Convent of Wienhausen
Agnes von Meißen, Heinrich der Löwe's daughter-in-law donated this Cistercian nunnery in 1231, which was first established in Nienhagen near Celle and then moved to Wienhausen. The nunnnery had a good income from the possessions as well as a beautiful church in red brickwork with its gables in the Gothic style and the wall paintings in the nun's gallery. There is also a famous collection of tapestries which is exhibited once a year durung the "Teppichwoche".

The nuns of Wienhausen did not approve of the Reformation and had to be forced to accept it. In the process, a lot of precious objects and buildings were taken away or destroyed. In 1562 the nunnery became a protestant convent but for years to come the women secrety held catholic services.
Address: An der Kirche 1, 29342 Wienhausen
Tel: +49 5149-357
Admission=5,- DM, groups ( 15 p. ) 4.- DM, pupils and students: 3.- DM, groups: 2,50 DM

Marktkirche
The marketplace was at the very centre of urban expansion in Hannover. Merchants and craftsmen used to live around here. In the 14th century, the Marktkirche ("The Church at the Marketplace") was built here. Together with the Old Town Hall to the right they are considered to be the southernmost specimens of the "North German neo-Gothic" style. Just as the tower reached half of its planned height, the construction had to be stopped due to shortages in the town's coffers. Unchanged in style, the Marktkirche was rebuilt in 1952. The portal with scenes from the saddest chapter of German history was designed by Gerhard Marcks. Even many of the well-informed citizens of Hannover are oblivious to the fact that the "Deutsche Michel" (a nickname the Germans often give to themselves) is actually buried here. He was by no means just a legendary figure. His name was General Johann Michael von Obentraut, and he was leading the Danish and German army against Tilly when he was mortally wounded on 25 October 1625. This hero of the Thirty Years War was known as "der deutsche Michel" to his contemporaries.
Tel=+49 - 0511 / 364370
Openings=weekdays from 10:00-16:00, Sat/Sun 10:00-18:00

The Convent of Loccum
Loccum, still the most important Cistercian monastery in Niedersachsen, was founded in 1163 by the Dukes of Hallermunt. Numerous donations made the monastery very prosperous. It gained lokal jurisdiction with the protection of the Pope and the king. After the Reformation, Loccum remained independent and did not lose its possessions. It became Protestant by the end of the 16th century but never abandoned its monastie tradition. In the 19th century a priest's seminar was established in Loccum.The Romanesque church, built in the typical modest style of the Cistercians, is very well preserved. The monastery grounds with ponds and woodland are also worth visiting.

Open for tours for groups 5 or more: 1 April to 15 October - Tue to Sat at 11 am + 3 pm, 15 October - 31 March: no regular tours; Open: 1 April-15 October Mo-Sat 10am -12 am and 3pm-6pm
Address: Im Kloster 2, 31547 Rehburg-Loccum
Tel: +49 5766-96020
Admission=5,- DM

Church of Mandelsloh
Mandelsloh is an ancient settlement and it has had a church for many centuries. The present church was built in 1175-90 as a cross-shaped basilica with a low timber ceiling. The tower, made of ironstone, was added in the 15th century. Among the impressive wall paintings inside there is one from 1425 which shows St. Osdag to whom the church was consecrated. The knight with the cudgel in his hand was the Duke of Burgundy and legend tells that he was slain in the battle against the Norsemen at Ebstorf in 880. His sister took his body to Mandesloh where they made him a local saint.
Address: St. Osdag-Str. 23, 31535 Neustadt a. Rbge.
Tel: +49 5072-334
Openings=daily from 9 am - 6 pm
Admission=DM 5