Kloster St. Symphorian

The Benedictine convent of St Symphorian stands in Zurlauben, now a district of Trier in the Rhineland. Founded in the early 7th century by Archbishop Moduald, it was unusual for its time as it followed the Benedictine Rule from the start. His sister Severa became the first abbess and was later canonised. The convent also had links to the Irish-Scottish mission of the period. High-ranking figures such as Bishops Bonosus and Abrunculus were buried there. The convent’s early wealth was soon reduced after raids by the Normans in the late 9th century. The church is first recorded in 864 and later served as a parish church for nearby villages. After the convent’s end, its property passed to St Paulin’s collegiate church and St Martin’s abbey. The church remained in use until its remains were cleared in 1665. Visitors today find no standing buildings from the original convent. The site lies in a quiet part of Trier once known as Zurlauben. The former church’s outline can still be traced in the landscape. Nearby, the names of Severa and Moduald are remembered in street signs. The area offers a peaceful walk through a district shaped by the convent’s long vanished presence.