Chorin Abbey

Chorin Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in Brandenburg, Germany, dating to the 13th century and noted as an important example of Brick Gothic architecture in northern Germany.

The complex’s main attraction is the large abbey church with its characteristic brick construction and pointed-arch detailing; the site also includes a cloister court and surviving monastic ranges. The ruins and restored spaces are used for guided visits, exhibitions, and seasonal concerts, and the ensemble is often visited for its architecture and acoustics.

The abbey was founded by Cistercian monks in the 13th century and served as a monastic community until secularization in the 16th century during the Reformation. It fell into partial ruin before undergoing conservation and restoration work in the 19th century to stabilise and reopen key spaces.

The site sits beside the village of Chorin in the Barnim district of Brandenburg, roughly 60 km northeast of Berlin and accessible by road and regional public transport from Eberswalde.

• Summer concerts: A summer music festival uses the abbey grounds for open-air concerts, drawing audiences in July and August.

What to See #

• Abbey church: The abbey church is a large example of North German Brick Gothic with a long nave and an apse; most visible fabric dates to the 13th and 14th centuries and the church remains the site's dominant structure.
• Cloister: The cloister court sits immediately south of the church and retains restored arcades and chapter-house spaces following 19th-century conservation work.
• Refectory and monastic ranges: The former refectory and ancillary monastic ranges form part of the surrounding ruin ensemble and are used for exhibitions and events.