An idyllic spot in the middle of the Hochsauerland (495 m above sea level), nestled in a beautiful wooded mountain landscape, Kloster Brunnen has always been one of the historical places in the region.
Once a healing spring with the oldest bathhouse in the Sauerland, hermit's cave, Capuchin monastery, vicarage and dwarf school, today diocesan center of the KJG in the archdiocese of Paderborn.
1705: The hermit Johannes Fölling from Werl builds a hermitage at the healing spring. After a few years, Anton Tripmann from Attendorn joins him. They build a permanent house and take care of the guests who come to the spring.
1716: The priest of Stockum reports: "Duo Eremitae habent aediculam cum oratorio ad fontem medicinalem" (Two hermits have a small building with a chapel at the medicinal well).
1722: The Cologne Province of the Capuchin Order (OFMCap) takes over the hermitage as a monastic residence. The first superior becomes Father Gerhardinus from Essen.
1729: Construction of the monastery with the support of Counts Bernhard and Ferdinand von Plettenberg zu Lenhausen.
1748: Consecration of the monastery church on May 5 by the Abbot of Arnsberg-Wedinghausen with the support of the sovereign, the Cologne Elector-Archbishop Clemens-August of Bavaria (1700-1761). Church patrons: John the Baptist and HL. Fidelis of Sigmaringen. Interior decoration based on plans by Johann Conrad Schlaun (1695-1773) according to Roman models. Altar coat of arms by Johann Christoph Manskirch (U1762), high altar painting "Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan" by Johann Anton Koppers (1704-1762) from Münster.
1801: Baron Friedrich Leopold von Fürstenberg zu Herdringen donates an organ with 10 stops, built by Johann Georg Fromme from Soest.
1802: The new Hessian government in Darmstadt puts the monastery on the extinction list in the course of secularization. It existed until the departure of the last Capuchin brother in January 1835, after the monastery was finally abolished by Prussian cabinet decree on July 4, 1834.
1968: End of the school founded by the Capuchins. For example, in 1833, shortly before the dissolution of the monastery, it had 52 (!) schoolchildren.
1975: The former monastery building is leased to the Thomas-Morus-Kreis e.V. Paderborn. It uses it as a diocesan center for the Catholic Young Community.
1984: The former Capuchin Church of St. John the Baptist/St. Fidelis is entered in the monument list of the city of Sundern. It is the center of the parish vicarage Kloster Brunnen, which belongs to the pastoral area of Sundern. Most of the parishioners live in Brenschede and Röhrenspring.
1995: Foundation of the association "Freundeskreis Kloster Brunnen e.V." in the former Gasthof König, Sundern-Brenschede. Among other things, this was a prerequisite for the restoration of the church and organ.
2005: Several jubilee events under the title "300 years of Brunnen Monastery", including a ceremonial lecture by P.Prof. Dr. Leonhard Lehmann OFMCap, artists see Brunnen Monastery, Brunnen Monastery in speech and writing. In addition, a remarkable exhibition took place in the city gallery.
2013: Parish priest Michael Schmitt declares in January in a press release that the organ restoration, which began in 2002, is complete.
2019: Erection of a limestone fountain made by Sundern sculptor Johannes Dröge opposite the church entrance, fed by a spring.
As a pilgrimage site, Kloster Brunnen still has significant value today. Especially worth seeing is the chapel with a historical organ.
Several times a year concerts take place in Kloster Brunnen. The dates can be found in the calendar of events in Sundern or in the local daily press.