Kremsmünster Abbey: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 61 - 110 Hotel Schlair
 Hotel Schlair is located in the centre of Kremsmünster, only 400 metres away from the Benedictine Abbey. It offers modern rooms with minibar and a sp… More | ||||||
Kremsmünster Abbey: Guide
Kremsmünster Abbey (Stift Kremsmünster) is a Benedictine Order|Benedictine monastery in Kremsmünster in Upper Austria.
History
The monastery was founded in 777 by Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria. According to the foundation legend, Gunther, son of Tassilo, was supposed to have been attacked and killed by a boar here during a hunting trip.
The first colony of monks came from Lower Bavaria, under Fateric, the first abbot. The new foundation received generous endowments from the founder and also from Charlemagne and his successors.
The position and reputation of the abbey was soon became such that its abbots, in the absence of the bishop of the diocese (Passau), exercised the episcopal jurisdiction.
In the 10th century the abbey was destroyed in a raid by the Hungarian people|Hungarians, and its possessions were divided among the Duke of Bavaria and other nobles and the bishops. It was restored, however, and recovered its property, under the emperor Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry II, when Saint Gotthard became abbot.
Kremsmünster, in common with other religious houses, then fell into a decline, which was fortunately halted by the action of bishop Altmann of Passau, who brought a community from Gottesau, and introduced the reformed observance of Cluniac rule|Cluny into the abbey. After this it became known as one of the most flourishing houses in Germany, "excelling all other abbeys" says an anonymous chronicler, "in observance and piety, also in respect to its lands, buildings, books, paintings, and other possessions, and in the number of its members prominent in learning and in art".
The monastic library was famous, and drew eminent scholars to Kremsmünster, where several important historical works were written, including histories of the bishops of Passau and of the dukes of Bavaria, and the chronicles of the abbey itself. Schrodl gives a list of writers connected with Kremsmünster from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries, and of their literary labours. One of the most distinguished abbots was Ulrich Schoppenzaun (1454–1484), and to whom, and to his disciple and successor Johann Schreiner (1505–1524), it is due that Kremsmünster did not perish in the Reformation.
From the Reformation period onwards a succession of able abbots kept the abbey on track. Abbot Gregor Lechner (1543-1558), towards the middle of the sixteenth century, made the monastic school, previously private, into a public school, and did much to preserve Catholicism in the district, where the Protestant doctrines had become widely prevalent - to the extent that his successor, Abbot Weiner (1558–1565) favoured them and thus introduced dissension into tthe abbey dissension which risked developing into serious disruption. This was prevented by succeeding abbots; Abbot Wolfradt especially (1613–1639) brought the monastery into so highly flourishing a condition that he was known as its third founder; while its reputation as a house of studies and learning was even increased under his successor, Placid Buchauer (1644–1669).
Among the abbots of the eighteenth century the most prominent and distinguished was Alexander Fixlmillner (1731–1759), who built the great observatory, constructed many roads on the monastic estate, and was a man of edifying life and great charity to the poor.
Towards the end of the 18th century the policy of the Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Joseph II with regard to the religious houses of his empire threatened to close Kremsmünster, like many others, but it was fortunate enough to escape.
The abbey suffered a great deal during the Napoleonic wars, and was slow in recovering its position. It was not until the abbacy of Thomas Mitterndorfer (1840–1860) that, having recovered its material security, and re-established learning and discipline , it regained its former prestige. One of the most illustrious abbots in the 19th century was Dom Cölestin Ganglbauer (died 1889), who celebrated in 1877 the 1100th anniversary of the foundation, became Archbishop of Vienna in 1881 and was raised to the cardinalate in 1884.
Since 1625 the abbey has been a member of the Austrian Congregation, now within the Benedictine Confederation.
The Abbey also played a role in the end of World War II. On May 8, 1945, the exiled Slovak Republic (WWII) | Slovak government capitulated to General Walton Walker leading the XX Corps of the 3rd US Army in that location.
Buildings
From the middle of the 17th century, thanks to an extensive programme of construction works largely reusing older building materials, the premises grew so extensive that in the whole of Austria they were second only to Melk Abbey|Melk. The architect and builder was Jakob Prandtauer, who was also responsible for the abbey church at Melk.
Kremsmünster reached its greatest extent in the south wing, which is about 290 metres long. The most important rooms were situated here: the refectory, the library and the Emperor's Hall. The wing terminates to the east in the Mathematical Tower, 51 metres high, where the observatory is located (the Kremsmünster Sternwarte). There is an interesting collection of objects of natural history in the lower part of the observatory, which is eight stories high; and a curious feature is the series of fish-tanks decorated with statues and a colonnade.
School
The monastery school has existed since at least 1549. The poet and writer Adalbert Stifter was educated here. The monks still work today in education and maintain a school, as well as in pastoral care.
Abbey church
The church, the construction of which was completed in 1277, was refurbished in the Baroque style at the beginning of the 17th century under the direction of Carlo Antonio Carlone, Giovanni Battista Colomba and Giovanni Battista Barberini. Of especial note is the Baroque high altar, created by Johann Andreas Wolf in 1712, after twelve years of design and preparation. The angels by Johann Michael Zürn the younger, who kneel and stand at the numerous side-altars, are also impressive examples of the Austrian baroque. The church also contains the celebrated Grave of Gunther.
Library
The magnificent monastery library was built between 1680 and 1689, also by Carlo Antonio Carlone. It is one of the great libraries of Austria and contains about 160,000 volumes, besides 1700 manuscripts and nearly 2000 incunabula.
Notes
Kirchenlex., VII, 1053
External links
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