Tautra Monastery ruins

The Cistercians' rules of order required the day to be divided three; labour, worship, and rest, interrupted by mass and prayers. Life in the monastery was characterised by this. The monks of this order were known as skilled farmers and gardeners, which is still evident by the flora at Tautra.

The monastery belonged to considerable land in the district; in the 1500s, a total of 170 farms. In the monks' time, the sea level was 4 m higher than today, so they had to row to the fish ponds opposite the site where the new monastery is located today. In fact, Tautra was two islands back then. At the introduction of the Reformation, the monastery was partly used as a military barracks and partly directly subordinate to the crown (the royal power). In 1664, the area was sold and thus passed into private hands.

The ruins of the monastry (Tautra klosterruin) are relatively well preserved and are a favourite tourist destination. The ruins are available to the public around the clock all year round.