Kloster Zwiefalten, Abtei Zwiefalten, Reichsabtei Zwiefalten | |
 Interior of the abbey church | |
  Location within Germany | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abbey of Our Lady of Zwiefalten |
| Order | Benedictine |
| Established | 1089 |
| Disestablished | 1802 |
| Mother house | Hirsau Abbey |
| Dedicated to | Our Lady |
| People | |
| Founder | William of Hirsau |
| Architecture | |
| Status | closed |
| Functional status | Sanatorium |
| Architect | Johann Michael Fischer |
| Style | Baroque |
| Site | |
| Location | Zwiefalten,Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany |
| Coordinates | 48°13′55″N9°27′41″E / 48.23194°N 9.46139°E /48.23194; 9.46139 |
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TheAbbey of Our Lady of Zwiefalten, more commonly known asZwiefalten Abbey (German:Kloster Zwiefalten, Abtei Zwiefalten or, after 1750,Reichsabtei Zwiefalten) is a formerBenedictinemonastery situated atZwiefalten, nearReutlingen, in the German State ofBaden-Württemberg. Zwiefalten lies on the touristicUpper Swabian Baroque Route. The abbey church is a major example ofbaroque architecture.
The complex is now the home of a psychiatric clinic.
The monastery was founded in 1089 at the time of theInvestiture Controversy by Counts Gero and Kuno ofAchalm, advised by BishopAdalbero of Würzburg and AbbotWilliam of Hirsau. The first monks were also fromHirsau Abbey, home of theHirsau Reforms (under the influence of theCluniac reforms), which strongly influenced the new foundation. Noker von Zwiefalten was the first abbot and led from 1065–90. Zwiefalten adopted the "Hirsau Reforms" of abbotWilliam of Hirsau.[1]
Starting around 1100, Zweifalten was, for a time, a double-abbey. Gertrude (†1160), daughter of DukeBolesław III Wrymouth of Poland was a nun at Zweifalten. Her mother,Salomea of Berg was a generous patron.[2]
The monkOrtlieb wrote a history of the monastery in the early 12th century.Berthold continued it to 1137–38.[3] He served as abbot in 1139–1141, 1146/7–1152/6 and 1158–1169.
During the 12th centurySaint Ernest (died 1148)[4] was abbot. Between 1145 and 1149 he participated in theSecond Crusade to regain theHoly Land.[5]
AlthoughPope Urban VI granted special privileges to it, Zwiefalten Abbey was nevertheless the private monastery of the Counts of Achalm, later succeeded by theCounts of Württemberg. The abbey was plundered in 1525 during theGerman Peasants' War.
Christoph Rassler was abbot from 1658–75 and Augustin Stegmüller was abbot in the 18th century. In 1739, work commenced on the abbey, which continued byJohann Michael Fischer until 1765 . It is considered a model of integrated Baroque design. Frescoes in the church byFranz Joseph Spiegler are considered his best work.[6]
In 1750 the abbey was granted the status ofReichsabtei, which meant that it had the status of an independent power subject only to the Imperial Crown and was free of the rule of Württemberg. Benedictine Ernest Weinrauch was a highly respected organ player and contrapuntist, who composed an oratorio at Zwiefalten.
On 25 November 1802, however, it wassecularised and dissolved and became a lunatic asylum and later psychiatric hospital, which it is today, as well as the site of the Württemberg Psychiatry Museum.
The present buildings were constructed inGerman Baroque style from 1739–47 under the direction ofJohann Michael Fischer (1692–1766) ofMunich, who began overseeing the work in 1741. The interior, considered a model of Baroque design, is filled with ornate chapels and gildedbalustrades, dominated by thehigh altar, which combines aGothic statue of theVirgin Mary dating from 1430 with Baroque additions (dating from about 1750) byJohann Joseph Christian (1706–77). The elaboratefrescoes are byFranz Joseph Spiegler (1691–1757).[7]
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