Description of the attraction
One of the important landmarks of Ribe is the Church of St. Catherine and the former abbey. The founders of the monastery of St. Catherine are Dominican monks. In 1228, the construction of a church began on a marshland near the city walls. The temple was consecrated in honor of Saint Catherine of Siena, who was recognized as one of the few women - Teachers of the Church. There is a beautiful statue of St. Catherine on the square in front of the monastery and the church.
The Church of St. Catherine, which has survived to our time, was expanded and rebuilt in the XIV century, and rooms for the monks were also added in the monastery. In the 15th century in the city of Ribe, there were about ten churches of various monastic orders, monasteries, almshouses, hospitals, orphanages and schools located with them. After the Reformation, only one monastery with a church and a cathedral remained in the city. The abbey remained active, as a hospital was located there, and the church became a parish Protestant.
The interior of the church is rather modest: simple whitewashed walls, ordinary wooden benches, evenly lined up in rows. It is worth highlighting the beautiful gilded altarpiece, the Renaissance pulpit and several tombstones. The church has a large organ. Inside the monastery there is a small courtyard surrounded by an arched gallery.
Every year, the Church of St. Catherine is visited by a large number of tourists from all over the world.
