The oldest known nunnery in Sweden: Vreta Abbey

Vreta Abbey, located in the present-day municipality of Linköping in Östergötland, was the first nunnery in Sweden. The exact year of its foundation is not known, but it is believed to have been established between 1105 and 1100 by the King Inge the Elder and Queen Helena, on the request of the Pope Paschal II. The abbey was initially Benedictine and later became Cistercian.

Vreta Abbey was a prestigious establishment, serving as a school for daughters of Sweden’s ruling families and nobility. The church is the burial place of several Swedish and Danish royalties, including King Inge the Elder, Philip, Inge the Younger, and Magnus Henriksson. However, after the Reformation, the abbey was forbidden to accept any new novices in 1529.

Today, the church remains and is a Lutheran parish church. Large portions to the north of the church remain visible, and the find, including an unusual wooden waterpipe, are on display in the adjoining museum. The only monastic building completely preserved is the barn.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons