Dominikanerkloster

From a humble plot near the Staufenmauer, the Dominikanerkloster in Frankfurt began its long journey. In 1233, the Dominican Order established its presence here. They built a small house. This house later became the monastery’s entrance. The actual construction of the Dominikanerkloster commenced in 1238. Progress was slow, relying on donations from afar. The monastery buildings were finally finished in 1245. The church, situated south of the complex, took a few more years. A papal bull from 1259 confirms the church’s consecration around that time. The Dominikanerkloster church became Frankfurt’s second largest, after the Imperial Collegiate Church of Saint Bartholomew. It drew renowned scholars and preachers. The monastery also became a site for royal elections. Kings like Adolf of Nassau in 1292, Henry VII in 1308, and Günther von Schwarzburg in 1349 were elected here. The Dominikanerkloster even played a role in the conflict between Emperor Louis IV and Pope John XXII. The Dominicans supported the Pope. This led to their expulsion from Frankfurt and other cities in 1330. After pleas from the city council and citizens, they returned. They had to promise to not oppose the Emperor. The 15th century saw significant expansion of the Dominikanerkloster. A cloister was added in 1449 and completed in 1499. Between 1470 and 1472, the church choir was rebuilt in late Gothic style. The monastery library grew into Frankfurt’s largest. Its collection eventually transferred to the city library. In 1462, Jewish residents were relocated to the Judengasse, east of the Dominikanerkloster. This close proximity led to tensions and conflicts. The Reformation in 1533 marked the end of the Dominikanerkloster’s golden age. The city council restricted preaching. They even considered repurposing monastery property. Legal action by the Dominican Order stalled these plans. The Dominikanerkloster remained a Catholic island in a Protestant city until its secularization in 1803. The city acquired the buildings. A Baroque extension was added to the western façade around 1680. In the 18th century, the monastery hosted assemblies of the Electoral Rhenish and Upper Rhenish Circles. In 1790, the archbishop of Mainz dissolved the Dominican monastery. He transformed it into the Congregatio ad Sanctum Fridericum. After secularization in 1803, the Dominikanerkloster served various purposes. It housed stored goods and, after 1815, barracks for the city’s military. Many of the monastery’s paintings found their way to museums. Demolition plans for the church were thwarted in 1875 and again in 1884. Renovations occurred between 1885 and 1889. A wall divided the church nave. One part became a gymnasium. The other transformed into a public hall with an organ. These additions were removed during a 1920s restoration. Before World War II, the Dominikanerkloster housed the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. The church was destroyed in an air raid in 1944. Only the choir and parts of the north wall survived. The Dominikanerkloster was rebuilt under architect Gustav Scheinpflug. It was inaugurated as the Holy Spirit Church in 1961. Today, the Dominikanerkloster is home to the Protestant Regional Association of Frankfurt. The Synod of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau also convenes here. The Dominikanerkloster’s journey reflects Frankfurt’s own complex and layered history.