Established by St Bruno of Cologne in the 11th century, the Carthusians may be described as ‘a community of hermits.’ Monasteries include individual cells, called hermitages, for each of the brothers. Communal activities are few, and the brothers live largely solitary lives conducted in near-complete silence. Each monastery includes an extensive garden where the brothers grow much of their own food. The Carthusians do not conduct missionary or pastoral work; theirs is a simple life of prayer and contemplation.