Dominican cloisters in the sacral space of Prussian cities in the Middle Ages

57 University of Gdańsk Dominican cloisters in the sacral space of Prussian cities in the Middle Ages sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje The space of a medieval city can be reconstructed by taking into account numerous elements. One of them is the spatial distribution of sacral objects. The location of a parochial church, city hospitals and cloisters was usually a result of a well thought-out decision, based on a specific symbolic order. However, sacral space also refers to the placement of a particular religious community within a city and its circle of social interaction. Here, this problem will be outlined based on the example of Dominican cloisters functioning in the Teutonic state in Prussia 1. The Dominican order was in possession of a total of six convents in the Teutonic state, comprising a lower unit of the administration, called the Prussian contrata (contrata Prussiae), which was a part of the Polish province of the order. Four cloisters out of this number were foundations run by the Teutonic Order: Chełmno/Culm (1236-1238), Elbląg/Elbing (1239), Toruń/Thorn (1263) and Nordenbork/Nordenburg (1407, in 1428 the foundation was moved to Gierdawy/Gerdauen), and the remaining two convents: in Gdańsk/Danzig (1227) and Tczew/Dirschau (1289), were founded by local princes. Cloisters in Gdańsk and Tczew were incorporated into the Teutonic state after 1308, when Teutonic knights captured Gdańsk Pomerania 2. 1 The problem of the role of Dominicans in these areas, with particular consideration to topography of the congregation, was presented in the book KUBICKI Rafał. Środowisko dominikanów kontraty pruskiej od XIII do połowy XVI wieku. Gdańsk, 2007. 2 ROTH Werner. Die Dominikaner und Franziskaner im Deutsch-Ordensland Preußen bis zum Jahre 1466. Königsberg, 1918, p. 48 86; BISKUP Marian. Das Verhältnis des Deutschen Ordens zu den anderen Orden in Preußen. Ritterorden und Kirche im Mittelalter (Ordines militares, Colloquia Torunensia Historica, IX). Ed. H. Zenon NOWAK. Toruń, 1997, p. 61 79; SARNOWSKY Jürgen. Dominikaner und Franziskaner im Ordensland Preußen. Franciscan Organisation in the Mendicant Context. Formal and informal structures of the friars lives and ministry in the Middle Ages (Vita Regularis Ordnungen und Deutungen religiosen Lebens im Mittelalter, Bd. 44). Ed. Michael ROBSON, Jens RÖHRKASTEN. Berlin, 2010, p. 44 46; KUBICKI Rafal. Die Rolle der Bettelorden im Ordensland Preußen. Cura animarum. Seelsorge im Deutschordensland Preußen (Forschungen und Quellen zur Kirchen- und Kulturgeschichte Ostdeutschlands, Bd. 45). Ed. Stefan SAMERSKI. Köln-Weimar-Wien, 2013, p. 74 76.

58 Dominican Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Prussian Cities in the Middle Ages The conditions which Dominicans found in this area were significantly different from those present in the countries of Western Europe. In the 13 th century, those were the regions where a mission was conducted with the aim of conquering the areas inhabited by pagan Prussians by force, by crusaders whose actions were coordinated by the Teutonic Order. Dominicans backed by the papacy conducted their activity at first within the milieu of the local Slavic princes, and later, as part of far-flung actions organised by Teutonic knights. Cloisters in cities, however, were established not so much for the mission activity among Prussians, but rather they were primarily to hold ministerial service over settlers coming in from the west. Apart from Gdańsk, where Prince Sviatopolk brought Dominicans from the Polish province as early as in 1227, more cloisters were erected in cities founded by the Teutonic Order on Prussian soil conquered by them. Those were: Chełmno, Elbląg and Toruń. Dominican cloisters appeared in all those places and their chief objective was to hold ministerial service over city folk arriving mostly from Germany. As was specifically emphasised in the document of the cloister foundation in Elbląg, a city just located on newly-conquered land of Prussia, the thought of establishing this outpost followed from the care for the condition of religious life of settlers coming into the city in great numbers. It was also a form of recognition of the work carried out by the Order for over 20 years in Western Europe. As was recorded in the preamble of the document issued by the Provincial Master in Prussia of the Teutonic Order, Hermann Balk, from 13 I 1239 3 : therefore we declare with this document that in order to protect the souls, threatened with numerous possible hazards born mostly in the newly-settled countries, where those who most often escape from honest life and avoid disclosure hide, with the complete will of our chapter, we hereby grant a place in our newly settled city of Elbląg to the honourable order, which is referred to as predicatory and indeed is acknowledged to be such, to the brothers, namely the prior and the friars (literally: master and people R.K.) beloved and effective both in their actions and in words, where they can construct their cloister 4. 3 The foundation document of the cloister dated 13 January 1238 was issued by the National Master of Prussia and Livonia, Herman Balk. Jan Powierski, based on an analysis of Balk s itinerary, remarked that this document was dated according to the Annunciation style, therefore it was actually issued in January 1239, see POWIERSKI Jan. Początek walk Krzyżaków o panowanie nad Zalewem Wiślanym i założenie Elbląga. Nautologia, 1993, vol. 3, p. 19 21. 4 Codex diplomaticus Warmiensis oder Regesten und Urkunden zur Geschichte Ermlands (later abbreviated as CDW). Ed. Carl P. WOELKY, Johann M. SAAGE. Mainz, 1860, t. I, no. 1: [ ] Ea propter presencium testimonio protestamur quod cavere volentes in quantum possumus periculum animarum quod in novellis terrarum plantacionibus fit plerumque ubi latitant a vivendi rectitudine fugitivi noticiam devitantes de capituli nostri plenaria voluntate ordini venerando qui dicitur predicatorum et esse dinoscitur ab effectu, fratrum videlicet domino et hominibus dilectorum potentiumque in opere et sermone in civitate nostra plantacionis novelle Elbinc dicta contulimus aream quondam in qua edificet claustrum suum [ ]. The same motives are repeated in documents for the cloister, issued in 1242 (16 III) by the papal legate Wilhelm of Modena (Ibid., t. I, no. 4) and in the confirmation of the cloister foundation made in 1246 (14 IV) by the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Henryk von Hohenlohe. For the general context of cloister foundations in the Teutonic State, see OLIŃSKI Piotr. Motywy fundacji klasztorów przez zakon krzyżacki w Prusach w świetle dokumen-

59 The significance of Dominicans for the religious mission in Prussia is testified by the fact that when the church organisation was established in this region, the bishops originating from the Dominican order became heads of three out of the four new dioceses. Later, however, they were replaced by clergymen supported by Teutonic knights 5. As is known, foundation of a cloister was a complex process, and the success in the case of mendicants was determined by establishing close ties with the local environment, from which new candidates for the community originated. The close relationships of friars with bourgeoisie established during the first period and often based on family ties guaranteed the necessary material support from city residents for the convents 6. Dominicans in Prussia operated in specific conditions created by the Teutonic Order, which, being a church corporation, subordinate to the pope, at the same time held territorial authority. Within the framework of its policy towards other church communities, it made sure that Dominicans do not possess any permanent income, in the form of rents and estates inside and outside of cities 7. It is believed that, contrarily to Franciscans, Dominicans supported the formation of less numerous, but larger and stronger monastic houses, from which they carried out their pastoral work. It was connected with the easier provision of the necessary monk staff in such centres, who apart from the tasks related to priesthood, could prepare new candidates for carrying out their duties. Looking from this perspective, it can be said that besides Königsberg/Królewiec (now Russ. Kaliningrad) Dominicans were able to organise cloisters in almost all of the largest urban centres of the Teutonic State 8. From among six cloisters which they established in these regions, only three were built in large urban centres: Gdańsk (35,000 residents), Toruń (12,000 residents) Elbląg (10,000 residents); two cloisters in smaller centres, that is, Chełmno (2,000 residents) and Tczew (1,000 residents) and one in located in Gierdawy, a sparsely populated town in the East of Poland (less than 1,000 residents) 9. Further development of the Order s structure was halted by Teutonic knights, who aimed at restricting the activities of church institutions which enjoyed the exemption privilege, and therefore were subordinated directly sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje tów fundacyjnych (ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem dokumentów fundacyjnych żeńskiego klasztoru benedyktyńskiego w Królewcu i klasztoru augustianów-eremitów w Chojnicach). Kancelarie krzyżackie. Stan badań i perspektywy badawcze. Ed. Janusz TRUPINDA. Malbork, 2002, p. 191 207. 5 KUBICKI Rafal. Biskupi a klasztory na przykładzie funkcjonowania dominikanów w państwie zakonu krzyżackiego w Prusach. Klasztor w kościele średniowiecznym i nowożytnym. Ed. Marek DERWICH, Anna POBÓG-LENARTOWICZ. Warszawa-Wrocław-Opole, 2010, p. 55. 6 For more information on this subject, see KUBICKI Rafal. Fundacja i implantacja klasztoru dominikańskiego na przykładzie państwa zakonu krzyżackiego w Prusach. Studia z dziejów średniowiecza, 2013, vol. 17, p. 67 88. 7 KUBICKI Rafal. Sources for the history of mendicant economy in Royal Prussia from the 15 th till the beginning of the 16 th c. Hereditas Monasteriorum, 2013, vol. 3, p. 55 65. 8 The locations of towns and foundation of mendicant monasteries in the State of Teutonic Order in Prussia from the 13th century to the early 16th century is presented on the attached map. 9 For estimated data for the year 1500, see BOGUCKA Maria, SAMSONOWICZ Henryk. Dzieje miast i mieszczaństwa w Polsce przedrozbiorowej. Wrocław, 1986, p. 116, 120.

60 Dominican Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Prussian Cities in the Middle Ages Map 1. Locations of towns and foundation of mendicant monasteries in the State of Teutonic Order in Prussia from the 13 th century to the early 16 th century to the pope. The foundation in Nordenbork (moved to Gierdawy), which took place at the beginning of the 15 th century, followed from the fact that at that time Teutonic Knights perceived Dominicans as an element of their expansion towards Samogitia and even planned in agreement with Grand Duke Vytautas to found one cloister for Dominicans from Prussia in Lithuania, but the crisis of the state after the war with Poland and Lithuania at Grunwald/Tannenberg (1410) meant the definitive end to those plans 10. Although Dominican cloisters were usually situated on the outskirts of contemporary urban centres, the very fact of their activity in the urban space meant that they were natural competition for diocesan clergy. With their presence, they interfered with established limits of parochial affiliation, depriving city parish priests of income 11. Conflicts related to competition for income obtained by friars in Gdańsk 10 A concept of the document on the planned foundation has been preserved in Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz Berlin Dahlem (later abbreviated as GStAPK), XX. HA, OBA, no. 598. 11 For general information on this subject, see TUREK Jakub. Spory dominikanów polskiej prowincji z duchowieństwem diecezjalnym w okresie od XIII do XV wieku. Przegląd Tomistyczny, 2009, vol. 15, p. 397 430.

61 became known as early as a few years after founding a cloister there. At that time the dispute concerned the rights to donations collected by Dominicans during funerals ministered by them 12. The dispute for the cloister s income reappeared in the 15 th century, when the parish priest of Our Lady Church (the Main City parish church), a member of the Teutonic Order, Andreas Slommow, accused Dominicans of excessive attachment to material objects and comfortable life. Thinking himself to be their spiritual superior in the city, he demanded some of the income collected from almsgiving and funerals 13. The dispute between a Dominican of the convent in Toruń, Peter Wichman, and the Teutonic priest holding office there, the parish priest of the Toruń Old Town, Andreas Pfaffendorf, whom Peter accused of preaching Hussite teachings in public sermons, was of a different nature 14. For Dominicans economic position, the aforementioned income from burials was very important. Their popularity is evidenced by, among other things, stone sepulchral slabs preserved to this day, confirming that only in the first half of the 15 th century representatives of knighthood, among others: John Egewolde (1420), Casper von Wulfsteyn (1425), Adelaide, the wife of Hermann (1432) and burghers: Hinrik and Barbara Gribenow, and James Luvvinck were buried inside the monastic Dominican church in Gdańsk. This was the case also with the other monastic churches. Obviously, burial in a church was not only a confirmation of a person s social position, but it could also be a manifestation of individual piety and a close relationship with the order under the so-called third order (tertiaries). What is particularly interesting, apart from the documented burials of individuals, also members of the local Teutonic convent were buried at Dominican cemeteries. In the year 1446, a Teutonic clerk in Gdańsk and pound customs duties collector in the port (German: Pfundmeister), Winrich von Manstede, founded a curatory by the chapel in the Dominican church, which he requested to be staffed only by a diocesan priest designated by his successors or the Malbork/Marienburg steward (a monk dealing with trade-related business for Teutonic knights). Because of this, in an agreement with the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Konrad von Erlichshausen, Dominicans obligated themselves that every day, early in the morning, the said priest would hold a mass for Teutonic knights in that chapel. And Dominicans themselves were to hold a mass four times a year on be- sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje 12 KUBICKI Rafal. Sources for the history, p. 57. 13 GÜNTHER Otto. Andreas Slommow und Johannes Zager in den Handschriften der Danziger Marienbibliothek. Zeitschrift des Westpreußischen Geschichtsvereins, 1917, t. 57, p. 148. 14 This problem has been discussed in more detail, see GÜNTHER Otto. Magister Petrus Wichmann aus Elbing und ein altes Bild der Elbinger Pfarrkirche. Mitteilungen des Westpreußischen Geschichtsvereins, 1916, Jahrg. 15, no. 4, p. 67 70; ROTH Werner. Op. cit., p. 34 47; KIELAR Paweł. Piotr Wichman. Dominikanin magister teologii. Studia nad historią dominikanów w Polsce 1222-1972, Ed. Jerzy KŁO- CZOWSKI. Warszawa, 1975, t. 1, p. 373 392; JÄHNIG Bernhard. Andreas Pfaffendorf O. T. Pfarrer der Altstadt Thorn (1425-1433). Beiträge zur Geschichte Westpreußens, 1981, t. 7, p. 161 187; ZDRENK Joachim. Andrzej Pfaffendorf. Słownik Biograficzny Pomorza Nadwiślańskiego. Ed. Stanisław GIER- SZEWSKI, Zbigniew NOWAK. Gdańsk, 1997, t. 3 (L-P), p. 410.

62 Dominican Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Prussian Cities in the Middle Ages half of the Teutonic Order and their brothers Teutonic knights buried in the cloister chapel 15. Later, when there were no more Teutonic knights in the city, the chapel was used by representatives of the Lübeck Bench the St. Christopher brotherhood in the Artus Court. They were also given the right to burials in the crypt there. A similar agreement was signed by the cloister in 1492 (18 V) with merchants and sailors from Amsterdam associated in the Dutch Bench in the Artus Court. The members of the bench obligated themselves to found the construction, furnishing and paraments for the Holy Trinity and blessed Fabian, Sebastian and Jacob Chapel. The agreement was approved in 1514 16. In the city space, Dominicans competed not only with parochial clergy, but also with representatives of other mendicant congregations, first of all Franciscans, who had their convents in Toruń and Chełmno in the 13th century, and in the 15 th century were also able to found a cloister house in Gdańsk. In the 15 th century cloisters met with resistance of city authorities, which tried to impose bans on alms collection. The big dispute on this matter, which took place in the year 1422, ended with a partial settlement in which the general of the order in Rome was involved. Dominicans were allowed to collect alms in the city, but only standing in front of houses, without the right to enter them 17. This issue would return later as well. Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Cities The cloister fulfilled various functions in the sacral city space. Friars conducted active pastoral work among the residents (providing sacraments, burials). The friars efforts were also concentrated on organising religious practices which were attended by bourgeoisie. This was the case also with cities of the Teutonic State, where Dominicans formed religious brotherhoods and allowed members of guild organisations to join the spiritual communion with the order 18. Guilds and brotherhoods owned chapels and altars in cloister churches. Craftsmen in the particular guilds, who were associated with the religious and economic structures, formed special brotherhoods in the activities of which a very important element was care for their members and practising a form of religiousness together 19. We have the most comprehensive information on this subject from cloisters in Gdańsk, Elbląg and Toruń. In the said cloisters there were altars owned by guilds in Gdańsk: the butchers guild (1357), the sai- 15 GStAPK, XX. HA., Pergament-Urkunden, Schiebl. LIV, 23a. 16 Biblioteka Gdańska Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Katalog, vol. 1, Ms 685, f. 28r 29v. 17 KUBICKI Rafal. Sources for the history, p. 57. 18 KUBICKI Rafal. Participationem omnium bonorum forma i znaczenie przyjęcia do udziału w dobrach duchowych zakonu na przykładzie mendykantów w Państwie Zakonu Krzyżackiego w Prusach. Nasza Przeszłość, 2009, vol. 112, p. 55 86. 19 KUBICKI Rafal. Die Rolle der Bettelorden, p. 82 83.

63 lors brotherhood (1386), the maltsters and brewers guilds (1480); in Elbląg: Vistula skippers (1382), the fishermen s guild (1409, 1444), the bakers guild (1499), and there was also a bricklayers altar in a cloister church, and possibly even one altar belonging to maltsters and shoemakers. Toruń: altars were owned by furriers guild (a certified altar in 1392) and clothiers guild (1470), and in the 16 th century also the skippers guild 20. The ties with religious brotherhoods operating alongside the cloister, strengthened in this way, brought Dominicans measurable benefits. Members of those religious associations felt a strong bond with the convent and the church, which was expressed by taking care of the brotherhood altars. The private donations provided by, as we assume, members of the particular guilds are the corroboration of this fact. Moreover, also individual foundations existed. Convents were obliged to hold a perpetual mass for their donors. Among the donors, also representatives of local knighthood appeared. They made bequests for cloisters in exchange for prayers (Gierdawy) 21 or a burial in the cloister church (mentioned above with reference to Gdańsk), and they also had their own brotherhoods (Toruń) 22. Among the chapel founders in the Dominican cloisters, also representatives of the city elite appear. For instance, in the Dominican church in Gdańsk there were chapels of the aforesaid brotherhoods, grouping rich local merchants; these were the so-called benches like the Dutch Bench and the Lübeck Bench of the Artus Court. The presence of the cloister in the city provided the city folks not only with broad opportunities for implementation of religious practices, but also gave them a prospect for, choosing cloister life and acquiring religious and intellectual formation promoted by Dominicans. A specific manifestation of the close relationship with the cloister included contracts signed with burghers on the basis of which the cloister took perpetual care for single people (prebendaries) in exchange for donations rendered in its name. Apart from board and lodgings, such persons participated in fast practices and prayers, and were entered into the cloister calendar, owing to which they could count on permanent mentions in the cloister prayer 23. The significance of the possibility of developing individual religious practices, as well as material care, is testified by a document issued by Nicolas Mewe 24 and his wife Gertrude, who wrote as follows: sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje 20 KUBICKI Rafal. Participationem omnium bonorum, p. 64 70. 21 MÜLVERSTEDT Georg A. Fromme Stiftungen in Preussen. Neuer Preußische Provinzial Blätter, Andere Folge, 1856, t. 10, p. 146 148. 22 KUBICKI Rafal. Die Rolle der Bettelorden, p. 83. 23 KUBICKI Rafal. Prebendarze w klasztorach mendykanckich na terenie państwa zakonu krzyżackiego w Prusach. Pielgrzymi, pogrobowcy, prebendarze, (Studia z Dziejów Średniowiecza t. 15). Ed. Błażej ŚLI- WIŃSKI. Gdańsk, 2009, p. 93 105. 24 Mewe is the German name of polish city Gniew (58 km/36 mi south of Gdańsk), so he probably came from there.

64 Dominican Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Prussian Cities in the Middle Ages we know and believe by healthy indication and meticulousness of our mind that all creatures created by God have to be tamed and subdued, just as jurors and lords, whether they want it or not. We are, however, of good hope and believe that service which is offered to God with free will and love will be better accepted by God than compulsory service which comes from necessity. For this reason, we believe, that is, I, Nicolas Mewe and my wife Gertrude, with free will and full consideration, as well as by Lord Good s indication, that we have given to the monastery of preacher brothers in Gdańsk, at St. Nicholas, money under the condition that we will receive for the life of us both repast, beer and shelter, as it is evidenced by this document, which has been given in justice by the prior and brothers in this matter 25. This way, to some extent, cloisters performed tasks similar to those of city hospitals. Of course, it all took place on a much smaller scale. Dominicans, similarly to other mendicant communities, provided care for beguines houses, the existence of which is recorded not only in the largest cities of the Teutonic State (Gdańsk, Elbląg, Toruń, Chełmno) 26. The confirmation of steps taken by donors in order to ensure perpetual mass for themselves was particularly noticeable in dispositions included in burgher testaments (preserved in greater numbers for Elbląg and Gdańsk) 27. A specific form of impact of friars among the broad spectrum of urban society was also the so-called Dominican fair organised by Dominicans in Gdańsk since the 13 th century, during which they intensively carried out pastoral duties, combined with the collection of alms. The international character of the Dominican congregation which, let us recall here, belonged to the Polish province of the order, can be seen in its activities in Prussia. Dominican friars studied at various university centres of contemporary Europe (mainly in Italy and Germany, but also France). What is obvious, Prussian Dominicans kept close relations with cloisters lying within the sphere of influence of Hansa. The examples cited point to the important role fulfilled by Dominicans in the religious life of Prussian cities and the broad range of cloister activity, not limited solely to the lowest strata of urban society. Though their cloisters were usually situated off the beaten track, owing to their intensive pastoral work they were positioned at the very centre of the religious life of the city at that time, within its sacral space. 25 KUBICKI Rafal. Prebendarze w klasztorach mendykanckich, p. 103: Wir wissen und bekennen wol noch anewisunge unsir vornomft und redlichkeith, das alle creature, dy do Got geschaffen hat, mussen und undirworffen und undirtanig syn dem selben schepper und herrn sy wellen addir nicht. Doch so hoffe wyr und bekennen wol, das das dynst, das do Gote geboten wirt, myt fryem willen und myt lyebe meer Gote anname sey, wen das betwungene dynst das dovon not der kompt. Hirume so bekenne wir, alzo ich Niclos Mewe und Gertrud myne elyche huesfraw und bettegnos [!], myt fryem willen myt wolbedochtem mutthe, und von anewisunge Gotis des Herrn gegeben haben in das clostir der prediger brudir czu Danczk, czu sente Niclos, eyn bescheyden gelt, dor wir vor sollen haben czu unsir beydir leben spyse, byer und herberge, also der briff ueswyset, den uns der prior und dy brudir dorobir haben gegeben. 26 Data on beguine congregations were partially collected by WERMTER Manfred E. Die Beginen im mittelalterlichen Preußenlande. Zeitschrift für die Geschichte und Altertumskunde Ermlands, 1969, t. 33, p. 41 52. 27 KUBICKI Rafal. Sources for the history, p. 60 61.

sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje 65 Map 2. Mendicant monasteries in the sacral topography of Gdańsk about 1500

KLAIPĖDOS UNIVERSITETO BALTIJOS REGIONO ISTORIJOS IR ARCHEOLOGIJOS INSTITUTAS Institute of Baltic Region History and Archaeology of Klaipėda University sąveika ir pokyčiai viduramžiais ir ankstyvaisiais naujaisiais laikais Baltijos rytinėje pakrantėje Culture Society Economy: Interaction and Changes in Medieval and Early Modern Times on the Eastern Baltic Coast Sudarytojas / Editor Marius Ščavinskas Mokslinių straipsnių rinkinys Klaipėda, 2015

66 Dominican Cloisters in the Sacral Space of Prussian Cities in the Middle Ages Dominikonų vienuolynai sakralinėje Prūsijos miestų erdvėje viduramžiais Santrauka Viduramžių miesto erdvę galima rekonstruoti atsižvelgiant į daugybę veiksnių. Vienas iš jų sakralinių objektų erdvinis pasiskirstymas. Parapijos bažnyčios, miesto ligoninių ir vienuolynų vietos paprastai būdavo kruopščiai apgalvotos ir rėmėsi konkrečia simboline tvarka. Tačiau sakralinė erdvė susijusi ir su konkrečios religinės bendruomenės egzistavimu mieste ir jos socialine sąveika. Straipsnyje problema analizuojama remiantis dominikonų vienuolynais, veikusiais Vokiečių ordino valstybėje Prūsijoje. Vokiečių ordino valstybėje Dominikonų ordinas turėjo šešis vienuolynus ir sudarė žemesnįjį administracinį vienetą, vadinamą contrata Prussiae, kaip Ordino lenkiškosios provincijos dalį. Keturi iš tų šešių vienuolynų buvo Kryžiuočių ordino valdomi fondai: Kulmas (Chełmno, 1236 1238 m.), Elbingas (Elbląg, 1239 m.), Torunė (Toruń, 1263 m.) ir Nordenburgas (Nordenbork, 1407 m., 1428 metais perkeltas į Girdavą (Gierdawy)); likusieji du vienuolynai Gdanske (Gdańsk, 1227 m.) ir Tčeve (Tczew, 1289 m.) buvo įkurti vietinių kunigaikščių. Gdansko ir Tčevo vienuolynai buvo inkorporuoti į Vokiečių ordino valstybę po 1308 m., kai kryžiuočių riteriai užgrobė Gdansko pajūrį. Dominikonų kongregacijos tarptautinį pobūdį galima įžvelgti per Ordino veiklą Prūsijoje. Dominikonų vienuoliai mokėsi įvairiuose to meto Europos universitetuose (dažniausiai Italijoje ir Vokietijoje, taip pat Prancūzijoje). Akivaizdu, kad prūsų dominikonai palaikė glaudžius ryšius su vienuolynais, priklausiusiais Hanzos įtakos zonai. Cituoti pavyzdžiai liudija svarbų vaidmenį, kurį dominikonai suvaidino Prūsijos miestų religiniame gyvenime, ir plataus masto vienuolynų veiklą, neapsiribojančią vien žemiausiais miestų bendruomenės sluoksniais. Nors jų vienuolynai paprastai kurdavosi atokesnėse vietose, vykdant intensyvią ganytojišką veiklą jie atsidurdavo pačiame tuometinių miestų religinio gyvenimo centre, jų sakralinėje erdvėje.