Knechtsteden, located west of Dormagen, is the oldest settlement of the "Mission Society of the Holy Spirit – Spiritans." However, one searches in vain for monks who bunker themselves in their cells and barely leave the holy district. The 26 religious individuals currently living here see themselves rather as modern missionaries – they want to spread the joyful message of Christianity to the world.
During the heyday of monastic life, the monastery housed a gymnasium with boarding school, a college for the training of priest missionaries, and various craft businesses. Meanwhile, all of these facilities have been closed. However, the area is by no means deserted. Among others, the Kunstverein Galerie-Werkstatt Bayer Dormagen has settled here. About 200 artists, organized in ten different specialties, appreciate the inspiring atmosphere of the monastery located in a nature reserve.
Classical music lovers are well aware of the monastery through the Festival Alte Musik Knechtsteden – every September, the Romanesque basilica of St. Andreas is transformed into a stage for renowned musicians. A "House of Nature" and a "Cultural Courtyard," which can be rented for larger events, round off the offerings.
That the spiritual is not neglected amidst all the busyness is ensured by the Spiritans with their "refueling station for the soul": The fuel and spirit administered here consist of reflection, retreat, and returning to oneself.
