Silver coins from Kaltenborn Monastery: witnesses from stormy times!

Silver coins from Kaltenborn Monastery: witnesses from stormy times!

On June 9, 2025, the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Saale) will open an important exhibition that deals with the role of the former Kaltenborn monastery near Allstedt. From June 28th, silver coins that come from this monastery can be seen there. These coin finds are part of the cabinet exhibition "Monasteries. Plundered. In the turmoil of the peasant uprisings", which runs until November 30, 2025. The exhibition is part of the decentralized state exhibition “Justice 1525”, which is supported by the Federal Government for Culture and Media (BKM) and the state of Saxony-Anhalt. According to Zeit, state archaeologist Harald Meller described the finds as important witnesses to the monastery's history and provide an insight into the everyday life of the monastic community.

The coins that will be on display in the exhibition include hollow pennies, pfennigs and groschen that were minted in central Germany between 1190 and 1513. Their origins range from Naumburg and Saalfeld to Bohemia and Nuremberg. They were used for various purposes, such as paying wage workers and shopping at local markets, which underlines the economic importance of the monastery. In addition, archaeologists were able to find copper pennies during excavations in Kaltenborn, which were used as an accounting aid in the Middle Ages.

Kaltenborn Monastery in a historical context

Kaltenborn Monastery was founded in 1118 and over the centuries developed into a wealthy center with large estates, including vineyards, forests and mills, stretching between the eastern Harz and southern Thuringia. Historical sources show that the monastery was an important religious and economic center from the Augustinian Canons until the 16th century. The three-aisled basilica was built in the first half of the 12th century and expanded in Gothic style in later years before it was destroyed in the Peasants' War in 1525. Archaeologists have recently uncovered large parts of the monastery church, some of which have been preserved under masses of rubble up to two meters high, as MDR reports.

The excavations have revealed rich small finds, including coins, book fittings, belt buckles and jewelry, which indicate the prosperity of the monastery during its heyday. But as early as the 15th century there were first signs of discontent among the population. During the Peasants' Revolt in 1525, insurgents from nearby villages looted the monastery complex. Social tensions had previously built up, which ultimately led to the destruction of the monastery. As early as April 1525, contemporary witnesses reported looting and devastation that forced many members of the monastery to flee. The monastery was finally dissolved in 1538.

The upcoming exhibition in the State Museum not only offers an insight into the material legacies of the Kaltenborn Monastery, but also into the complex social dynamics and tensions that led to the destruction of this important institution. The coins and other finds illustrate the economic aspects of monastic life as well as the challenges that the monastic community faced.