Koningsoord Abbey, Arnhem

History

A long and laborious process preceded the construction of the new abbey. Before, the nuns had been living in the town of Berkel Enschot since 1937, near the Trappist monks in Koningshoeven Abbey (portrait #6). In the 1930s, the monks saw a need for women to have their own space for spiritual development, and so they founded Koningsoord. For several decades there were two abbeys in this place, one for Trappist monks and one for Trappistine nuns. Unfortunately, the municipality needed the area around the Koningsoord Abbey for housing. Berkel Enschot was growing fast and the abbey became surrounded with houses in the 1990s, which disturbed the peace and silence. Also, the building was old and expensive to heat in winter. The nuns decided to look for another more peaceful and quiet location. This search took several years. They found a perfect spot in a secluded forest area near Oosterbeek (close to the city of Arnhem), where they bought a piece of land from the Mill Hill missionaries. The building of the new abbey started in 2007, and was completed in 2009. In spring of that year, all the nuns moved from Berkel Enschot to their new location in Oosterbeek, including the graveyard, with all the deceased nuns from over the years. 

Food & beverage

Vegetarian meals are served in a common dining room. The nuns live and eat separately in the back of the abbey building, as is the common practice in Trappist abbeys. 

Grounds & Gardens

The new abbey is very modern, yet solemn and practical in design, fitting to the Trappist lifestyle. The architect, Gert Grosfeld, created an architectural masterpiece, balancing the many design demands from the Trappistine nuns with the requirement to fashion an up-to-date and visually attractive building. The extraordinary geometric lines of the structure overturns the expectation of tradition, and yet, its simplicity and strong design style suggest determination and integrity. In the abbey’s church, you can find another of Grosfeld’s signature designs. He created a wavy back wall, inset with a stained glass, rose window, representing the course of life. Natural sunlight streams down from above, illuminating the wall, guiding humankind with the truth and wisdom of divine inspiration. 

Other facilities

In the shop in front of the main building, you can buy many monastic products from different abbeys, like religious books, candles, soap, and Trappist beer.