Mariannhill Monastery

Franz Pfanner, an Austrian Trappist, founded Mariannhill in 1882 and named it for Mary and Saint Anne. Trappists are a contemplative order committed to silence and enclosure, but the mission grew into something else entirely - schools, printing presses, workshops, farms and dozens of outstations across the region, work that sat uneasily with the rule. The tension was resolved in 1909 when Rome separated the community from the Trappist order and constituted it as the Mariannhill Missionaries, a distinct congregation. The complex the monks built includes a large church with a spire, cloisters, a monastery quadrangle and workshop buildings in brick and stone, much of it made on site. It remains active, with a shrine and a cemetery, and the Mariannhill Mission Press still operates. Guided visits explain both the architecture and the awkward history of a silent order that became a busy institution.

What you actually see

• The 1882 foundation - a Trappist mission that outgrew its own rule.
• The 1909 separation - Rome constituting the community as a distinct missionary congregation.
• The monk-built complex - church, cloisters and workshops made largely on site.
• The working press - the mission printing operation still running.

When to go

April to September. Two hours. Arrange a guided visit ahead if you want the full complex.

Honest expectations

It is an active religious community - some areas are closed and services take precedence. Guided access needs arranging in advance. The surrounding area is busy suburban Durban with ordinary precautions. Some buildings are in need of repair.

Nearby

Pinetown is adjacent; Krantzkloof reserve is a short drive west.