St Mary's Church | Franciscan Monastery

St Mary's Church is an early example of Gothic church architecture in the Upper Weser region.

In the middle of the 13th century, monks came to Höxter who wanted to live in poverty and preach the Gospel according to the ideal of St Francis of Assisi. They settled in the east of the old town, founded a Franciscan monastery here and had a church built. Abbot Hermann von Holte (1223-55) is considered the initiator and founder of this branch of the mendicant order.
 
Today's St Mary's Church was built before 1261 and was extended until 1320. It is an early example of Gothic church architecture in the Upper Weser region. However, the monks were forced to leave Höxter during the Reformation. Although they returned in the 17th century, they were forced to experience the final dissolution of their monastery in 1803.