Monastery

the beginning in the Netherlands Monastic life in the Netherlands began in the fifth century with wandering monks: missionaries who brought the Christian faith here. The first monasteries were founded around 700 by Saint Willibrord in Maastricht, Utrecht and Susteren (a town in Limburg). Early medieval monasteries followed the rule of Benedict. The residents belonged to the small number of people who could read and write. Monks contributed to the development of land and to the development of agriculture and livestock farming.