A convent believed to date from about 780 and, by its own account, inhabited without a break since its foundation in the 8th century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, valued for the Carolingian and Romanesque wall paintings in its church. Six Benedictine sisters live there today.
What it needs
A non-denominational foundation set up in 1969 raises the money to restore and maintain the complex, because the convent could not afford to. The foundation says it depends on financial support to care for the heritage, and that current donations go to restoring the wall paintings in the convent church.
Before you act. No current budget, target or timetable could be confirmed, so no figures are given. Ask the foundation what the next stages need.
Last checked 9 November 2026. Parts of this entry could not be fully confirmed; see the note above. Responsible body: Stiftung Pro Kloster St. Johann in Müstair.
The sisters' foundation decided in November 2025 to pursue a sale of the whole property, because the aging community can no longer staff or pay for it. They want a buyer who will turn the complex into housing, workspace and meeting space while renting one wing back to the sisters and keeping the church as a place of worship and culture. The foundation wanted to know by the end of 2026 whether a buyer exists.
In 2018 the nuns began an EU-funded project, 'Wirydarze dziedzictwa benedyktyńskiego', to convert historic buildings into a museum, library and reading room. They say costs rose by about 150% after COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, and an audit has now required the project to be settled by December 2026 instead of 2027. They are asking for 4 million PLN to finish it; if it is not settled on time the grant must be repaid with interest from 2018, which they say would be practically impossible for the abbey.
