Monastic towns
Antvorskov ruins are the remains of a monastery of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The monastery was founded by Valdemar the Great and Bishop Eskild around the year 1164.
It quickly became the main monastery for the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the Nordic countries, and also functioned as a hospital. The monastery was rich and represented an important and powerful centre in the Middle Ages. The monks of the Order are well known for their black habits which bear a white Maltese cross on the front.
Benedictine monks lived in Næstved in a monastery that was later known as Herlufsholm. This order was also wealthy and wore black habits.
Skælskør was the home of the Order of Carmelite monks. In contrast to other orders, the Carmelites were mendicant friars, destined to live their lives in poverty and fasting. Their habits were brown. The Skælskør monastery no longer exists.