Monasteries were important economic centers. Because the monks were expected to work, many monasteries became known for their skills at various trades, particularly the production of alcohol. They would also grow their own food, either for their own consumption or to sell in order to buy things they couldn't produce for themselves. In many cases monasteries had to clear land for their farms - the ideal was to build in the wilderness - which tended to attract settlers and could result in a town growing up around the monastery. Also, people would often donate land to their favorite monastery and many of these land grants could be quite profitable in their own right. It also meant that the monasteries wound up entangled in secular politics, just like any other major medieval landowner.
