The Main Building at Rein

“Happy are those who love, when their love is returned.”

The main building that towers on the hill at Rein today, like the monastery once did, was built by Thomas Ebbesen Horneman in 1866. The preceding building was frail and old, dark and cumbersome, so Thomas decided to build a new house for himself and his wife Sara. The house was built to join with the old cooking house to the east, that dates back to the 17th century and is built over the old monastery cellars.

The main building is unique, and no expenses were spared. The two towers are perhaps the most characteristic features. The house has 30 rooms over a space of about 800 square meters. The interior is very well preserved, and in the dining room one can sit down to eat surrounded by paintings of the many generations of the Horneman family.

In 1888 Thomas and Sara gifted the old monastery church to The Society for the Preservation of Norwegian Ancient Monuments, to ensure its preservation for future generations. Maybe it was Thomas who back then carved his declaration of love on the ruins, to his Sara, or maybe to the farm, which has provided its owners a safe livelihood for thousands of years?