A Unique Educational Cosmos
The theologian and educator August Hermann Francke founded the foundations in 1698 as a school for the poor and an orphanage. His vision was to educate each individual according to their individual talents - orphans and children of princes alike, as well as boys and girls.
Over time, an entire "school town" developed, which included educational institutions, the Canstein Bible Institute, the East Indian Missionary Institute, the library and commercial enterprises. More than 40 educational and social institutions are still based on the grounds of the foundations today - an educational cosmos that is unique in Europe. With their historical collections, exhibitions and, in particular, educational and social projects, the foundations are more than just a museum.
The Francke Foundations have been revising their application for UNESCO World Heritage status since 2021, after the first application was withdrawn in 2016.
