Germany is full of fascinating churches and abbeys that visitors can come to and gain unique insights into the country’s unique history and culture. However, in Duisburg, there is one abbey with a fascinating story that sets it apart from the crowd. Just north of town sits the Hamborn Abbey. It is one of the most ancient structures in the country, dating back to the early 12th century, and originally serving as both a parish church to the Archbishop of Cologne, and then to an order of monks known as the Premonstratensians.
When Napoleon invaded in the 1800s, the Abbey was utterly shut down. The monks were sent into the wild, and for many years the situation remained that day, with the structure falling into unfortunate disuse. However, the 20th century saw a reversal of fortune, and shortly after the end of World War II, the monks’ descendants returned to take up residence in the abbey once more. Today, they operate the facility and even perform church services there, which guests are invited to witness as they take in the splendor of the Abbey itself.