Reins Monastery
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High on the hill above the village of Rissa lies Reins Monastery—a place where old stones still whisper stories of faith, power, and change. The monastery was founded in the 1220s, likely as an Augustinian convent for women of noble birth. Its location was no coincidence: Reins had earlier been a royal estate tied to several Norwegian kings as far back as the 900s. During the Middle Ages, there were around 30 monasteries spread across Norway. They served as centers of prayer, learning, agriculture, and social care. But after the Reformation in the 1500s, most monasteries were closed down, confiscated, or turned into farms. The same fate met Reins, which later became a manor estate—a farm that still stands today. What makes Reins special is how its history remains visible. The buildings reflect different eras, and archaeological finds reveal traces of the monastic life buried beneath the ground. When you look up toward the ridge in Rissa, you're seeing a rare site in a Norwegian context—where kings, nuns, and noble figures once gazed out over the fjord, toward exactly where you are sailing now.