In the chapter hall with the large Napoleon painting, the end of the Quedlinburg ladies' convent in 1803 comes into view. It had been around for almost 900 years and was led by a queen and 39 abbesses.
Photo: Jürgen MeuselStrong women of today meet strong women of the past in Quedlinburg: For almost nine centuries, abbesses ruled the collegiate church hill in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt. In the newly reopened castle museum, they now look out at visitors-with faces that seem surprisingly modern. A trip to the UNESCO World Heritage city in the Harz region, where women were making history over a thousand years ago.
The winged door to the Blue Hall opens, and some women step in whispering. They searchingly look at the 39 portraits of medieval abbesses. The ladies in the portraits wear veils, cloaks, and brooches and held a lot of power in their lifetime, for they ruled here. Their faces shimmer as the light hits the brushed aluminum of the photo plates. Confused, eyes wander back and forth across the room. Can it be? Are some of the powerful women of the past standing in the hall in completely everyday clothes?
"Yes, that's me. Wow, amazing," murmurs Cathleen Brand as she spots her own face on the wall. In real life, she is the mother of a twelve-year-old son and lives in a village very close by. From now on, she lends her face to Bertrada II at the Quedlinburg Castle Museum, an abbess who ruled in the 13th century. A year before the opening, she responded to a call for a photoshoot – unmade-up and without jewelry, that was the requirement. The rest was handled by technology: robes and headpieces were digitally added. The result was a portrait in which the centuries merge in a surprising way.
Cathleen Brand applied for the photoshoot 'Abbess Wanted!' and can now be seen as Bertradis II. She was an abbess in Quedlinburg at the end of the 13th century.
© IMG Sachsen-Anhalt / Dana Toschner
A king who didn’t want to be forgotten
To understand why so many women ruled on this sandstone rock in the Middle Ages, you have to start with a man. Henry I, Duke of Saxony, was elected king in 919 – as the first from that Saxon ruling house, which went down in history as the Ottonians. From 919, he had Quedlinburg expanded into a center of power. The rock above the town was his favorite palace. When he fell ill and his end approached, Henry I decreed that he wanted to be buried there. His wife, Queen Matilda, was to found a ladies' collegiate on the hill, whose main taskwould be to maintain his memory. You could say: Henry put his memoria into competent hands in good time. When he died in 936, his widow and their son Otto I, the future emperor, carried out the wish and founded a high-noble, secular ladies' collegiate.
The plan worked. That collegiate developed into the spiritual, political, and cultural center of the region and existed until 1803. 'There were no nuns here, but daughters and unmarried women from high-noble families,' explains museum director Uta Siebrecht. The daughters were trained to later stand by the side of rulers. At the head of the convent was first Queen Matilda, followed over the centuries by 39 abbesses. They ruled the convent's territory, determined the fate of the city, and kept the memory of Henry I alive. The newly designed exhibition in the castle museum ensures that these women are not forgotten today and in the future. On large screens, Queen Matilda and some abbesses virtually meet the visitors, comment on their time, and share their thoughts – without the use of artificial intelligence. Actors impressively embody the mothers of the region. They tell how they lived, ruled, fought with enemies, defended themselves against intrigues or sieges, and asserted themselves in wars with the support of their protectors. "We provide emotional access to history. Without having to read endless text panels, visitors get a sense of how the ladies here ruled through all the upheavals of time,” describes the museum director. And for young visitors, there is an animal companion: Nina, once the lapdog of Abbess Anna Sophie I of Pfalz-Birkenfeld, guides as a mascot through history.
On big screens, actresses report as Quedlinburg abbesses how they steered the affairs of the secular women's convent. © Welterbestadt Quedlinburg
New faces for old names
The time jump is also effortless thanks to the portrait gallery in the Blue Hall. The idea to implement it in an unconventional way came out of necessity. “Painted portraits exist for only twelve of the 39 abbesses. Before the Reformation, they simply weren’t made,” explains Uta Siebrecht. “For many others, only depictions on grave slabs, seals, or coins have survived. But we wanted to give all the women who ruled here a face again-even if it’s not the real one.” Women with character and a connection to the World Heritage city were sought. They were found in Quedlinburg and the surrounding area. Their portraits are likely to hang in the museum for a very long time. A thought that Cathleen Brand likes: “I doubted whether I should participate because I don’t have model measurements. But my son said: Apply! He liked the idea of being able to one day go to this place with his own children and show them their grandmother. That way, something of me remains that might last for several generations. That’s pretty crazy, and it makes me proud too.”
One Tour, three treasures
Seven years, Quedlinburg’s collegiate church hill was a construction site. Since 2018, a total of 51.5 million euros from various funds have gone into renovation and redesign. The result is impressive: The castle museum now displays over 300 exhibits across 2,300 square meters, three times the space previously available. Baroque show mirrors, chandeliers, and fabrics woven according to historical designs give a hint that modesty was not really part of the core competencies of life at the abbey.
The abbey church, whose crypt once held Heinrich I and his wife, and the cathedral treasury have been open in a new presentation since March 2026. Now, everything comes together in a combined tour – largely barrier-free thanks to elevators, ramps, and level adjustments. In the cathedral treasury, precious reliquaries, manuscripts, and textiles await. Some pieces have a story straight out of a crime novel: in 1945, a US officer took them, an art detective tracked them down, and in 1993, they returned from Texas to Quedlinburg.
King Henry I and Saint Matilda were buried in the crypt of the collegiate church. The commemoration of the dead, also called memoria, included other people for whom prayers were offered in the abbey. © Elmar Egner
Timber-framed idyll with a view
Anyone stepping into the terrace garden after the astonishing history lesson will be rewarded with a wide view over the rooftops of the city. A good moment to catch your breath and enjoy the anticipation of what awaits to be discovered at the foot of collegiate hill over a cappuccino. About 2,100 half-timbered houses from eight centuries shape the cityscape. In 1994, Quedlinburg was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. You definitely should say hello to the stone Roland, who stands guard at the marketplace. From here, you can continue through the picturesque Schuhhof, where shoemakers once lived and worked, then through winding streets, past quiet courtyards, small shops, and inviting cafés.
Those who still have stamina can take the 107 steps up to the Muenzenberg. The climb is rewarded: At the top, enchanting little half-timbered houses and a truly postcard-worthy view of the collegiate hill await. The Muenzenberg is also a good starting point for those who want to stay a little longer and explore history on foot, as the Harz Monastery Hiking Trail connects monasteries, churches, and charming towns in the region. One section starts right here at the Marienkloster in Quedlinburg, passes by the Stiftskirche St. Cyriakus in Gernrode, continues to the Wendhusen Monastery in Thale, and follows the edge of the Harz to the Michaelstein Monastery near Blankenburg. Along the way, the so called Devil’s Wall appears with its bizarre sandstone cliffs.
St. Servatius Collegiate Church Quedlinburg, view from Münzenberg
© IMG Sachsen-Anhalt / Falko Matte
Take a Breather in the Bodetal
After a thousand years of cultural history, city strolls, and hiking stages, even the strongest women probably feel like taking a break. The Bodetal Thermal Spa in Thale is perfect for that: Between the brine pool and the sauna sessions, there’s time to let the experiences settle and let your mind wander. Towards a king who entrusted his legacy to women. Towards Mathilde and the 39 abbesses who preserved it for centuries. Anyone who then drives home with tired legs has met some remarkable predecessors and carries a reassuring thought: Those who leave their mark will not be forgotten.
Author: Dana Toschner
More information:
World Heritage Collegiate Hill Quedlinburg with Castle Museum, St. Servatii Collegiate Church, and Cathedral Treasury: stiftsberg-quedlinburg.de
Harz Monastery Hiking Trail: harzer-klosterwanderweg.de
10 Quedlinburg Discoveries
1 Crunchy:
The cookies, biscuits, and “Dachshund kisses” from Quedlinburg’s cookie factory. The flour comes from the grain mill in nearby Thale, the spices from the Orient, and the know-how from a traditional bakery that has been focusing on craftsmanship for over 100 years.
2 Charming:
The accommodations at the “Ferien im Denkmal” apartments in the historic city center or at the Romantik Hotel am Brühl, whose rooms are located in a complex of listed buildings.
3 Inventive:
The ice cream makers at “Blumenbunt” creating flavors in their factory such as rice pudding, raspberry butter cookie, chili chocolate, poppy marzipan, or vodka cucumber. The ice cream is sold, among other places, at Quedlinburg’s market square.
4 Creative:
Quedlinburg's female artists and craftswomen work. For example, Nicole Bolze creates delicate one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces (Galerie Müller), Katrin Runau makes unique paper objects (Papierim7.Himmel), and Anka Brueggemann turns old books into artistic creations (Bookogami).
5 Cozy:
The bistro and café “Ruinenromantik” welcomes its guests. In the rustic pub without a roof, Harzer Urquell beer, brewed according to its own recipe, tastes great with the “Queddelnboerjer.”
6 Impressive:
A trip to the Devil’s Wall near Weddersleben. Just ten minutes by car from Quedlinburg, a spectacular natural monument rises. Anyone walking along the narrow path along the rocks can hardly resist its charm.
7 Spicy:
Best souvenir for home comes from the Quedlinburg Mustard Manufactory. Here, Simone Seiboth works according to old recipes, lets visitors watch over her shoulder while making mustard, and offers courses on mustard-making.
8 Entertaining:
A World Heritage tour with the guide Iris Arand. It starts at the red tourist info at the marketplace, where she introduces the stone Roland before leading you through the narrowest alley in town and revealing what nuns and monks are doing on the rooftops.
9 Lovely:
The natural wax scented candles from the Quedlinburg Voswald workshop are, featuring funny forest inhabitants from the Harz Mountains. Popular scents are called “Fox Fart,” “Cinnamon Bitch,” or “Nut Kiss.”
10 Designed:
The book "The Quedlinburger" offers insights into houses, studios, and living spaces that are usually not open to the public and tells the stories of the people who live and work there.
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