The Abbey
Home to the Norbertine Community
The center of 160 acres of natural and landscaped beauty stands St. Norbert Abbey — not only a distinguished landmark, but also home to the Norbertine community and a welcoming environment to those who wish to enhance their relationship with God.
The building is constructed of Wisconsin limestone, quarried in Fond du Lac. The stone trim is Indiana limestone. The roof is covered with slate, quarried in Pennsylvania and Vermont.
A Closer Look
The Abbey Church
The St. Norbert Abbey church is a wonder, majestic and sacred. Guests are always welcome to join the Norbertines as we gather for prayer.
The most important area of the abbey, the church is built in a cruciform floor plan (i.e., there are three distinct areas: choir, sanctuary, and nave).
The Windows
Together the main stained glass windows in the church summarize the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, including the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. The four evangelists, the four major Doctors of the Western Church, the cult of the Virgin Mary, and the Sacrament of the Eucharist are also symbolically depicted in stained glass throughout the church.
The Abbot’s Chair
At the head of the choir is the abbot’s chair, designated by a hand-painted plaque of the abbatial shield of Abbot Dane Radecki, O. Praem.
The Altar
In the center of the sanctuary stands the altar, made of Botticino marble with Red Levanto supports.
The Marian Altar
In the south transept is the Marian Altar with a mosaic of Mary and the Christ Child. Also known as Our Lady Seat of Wisdom.
Blessed Sacrament Altar
In the north transept is the Blessed Sacrament Altar where the tabernacle is located. Above the tabernacle is a crucifix by Jean Lambert-Rucki.
The Choir Stalls
The stalls of the choir and the pews in the nave are fashioned of black walnut. The interior walls of the church are faced with a variety of types of marble: the lower walls are veneered with Loredo Chiro in a matchbook pattern, the columns are faced with Red Levanto, and the upper walls are surfaced with unfinished Winona Travertine. The floors of the church’s nave and vestibule are slate. The floors of the sanctuary and choir are Verde Issorie marble.
The Bells
On the south side of the church stands the bell tower, housing six matched bells. Each bell has an appropriate name, a fitting inscription, and bears the crest of the person in whose memory it is dedicated, as well as the coat of arms of St. Norbert Abbey.
Cloister Walks & Gardens
Four cloister walks and four adjacent gardens offer peaceful areas to stroll both inside and outside.
Crypt and Museum
Abbot Bernard Pennings, O. Praem., founder of the Norbertines at St. Norbert Abbey, and Abbot Sylvester Killeen, O. Praem., second abbot of St. Norbert Abbey, are buried in the lower-level crypt. They are surrounded by religious artifacts beautifully displayed in a museum setting.