TheMonastery Edelstetten is a former Kanonissenstift convent located at 48°17′N 10°22′E in the city ofEdelstetten, a municipality ofNeuburg an der Kammel in Bavaria, Germany. The monastery is in thediocese of Augsburg and in the valley of theHaselbach River.

The former convent is one of the outstandingbaroque (Swabian Baroque) style buildings in the district ofGünzburg.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

The monastery, dedicated toSaints.John the Baptist andSt. Paul was founded in 1126AD. According to the tradition of Gisela Schwabegg-Balzhausen, whose coat of arms, the monastery also took, the founder and first abbess wasMechthild anAugustinian choir woman. Mechthild of Dießen arrived in 1153 and was appointed abbess by the Bishop of Edelstetten to reform the pin. However, after six years, she returned unsuccessful back there. In 1460, the monastery was incorporated into the Margraviate Burgau and by 1500AD the abbey at Edelstetten was recognized as secularKanonissenstift. The monastery was destroyed three times. The first time in the 14th century, the second time in 1525 during thePeasants War and the third time in theThirty Years' War, in 1632 bythe Swedes.

The presentBaroque style building was built in the heyday of the monastery, approximately from 1680 to 1725. The design was by architectMichael Thumb.In the period 1709–1712 the south wing of the monastery, the present church of St. John Baptist and John the Evangelist, was designed by Father Christoph Vogt from theBenedictinemonastery of Ottobeuren. Completion of the interior lasted until well into the second half of the 18th century.

In 1783, the monastery was raised to the status ofimperial abbey, a semi sovereign organ within theHoly Roman Empire answerable only tothe Emperor.In 1803, the Abbey of Edelstetten was given tothePrince de Ligne dominion as an immediate principality and as compensation for the loss of the county ofFagnolle inHainault. ThenCharles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne had sold it in 1804 to PrinceNikolaus II Esterházy de Galantha and it remains in Esterházy family until today.

The interiors of many rooms from the 18th century are decorated with significantstucco work. An example is theChinese Hall. The Abbey church is still the parish church of Edelstetten town.while the former chapter house museum. The Abbey crib is decorated withfresco paintings of biblical scenes. The seven scenes are:Adoration of the Shepherds,Adoration of the Magi,Presentation in the Temple,Massacre of the Innocents, house inNazareth, the twelve year old Jesus in the Temple andWedding at Cana.

Because of the fresco's, Günzburg County is sometimes called theSwabian nativity paradise.

The rule of the abbey was unusual in that members of its choir could resign and get married. For this reason the Abbey more resembled a sort of charitable institution where theSwabian nobility could educate their daughters.Due to recognition as a secular Kanonissenstift, the Abbey was by the 16th century calledOetlinstetten which evolved to the modern nameEdelstetten.

48°17′55″N10°23′41″E / 48.2986°N 10.3948°E /48.2986; 10.3948

• Monasteries in Bavaria
• Castles in Bavaria
• Christian monasteries established in the 1120s
• Baroque architecture in Bavaria
• Buildings and structures of the Esterházy family

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