Marchtal Abbey
Encyclopedia
Marchtal Abbey is a former Premonstratensian
monastery in Obermarchtal
in the Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg
, Germany. The minster church of Saints Peter and Paul, the former abbey church, located on a prominent elevation, still dominates the landscape for miles around.
the noble clan of the Ahalolfinger made a gift of the monastery founded by their ancestor Halaholf and his wife to St Gall's Abbey
. By 993 the monastery had become a collegiate foundation of canons
dedicated by Herman II, Duke of Swabia
, and his wife Gerberga to the apostles Peter and Paul
.
During the 12th century the monastery passed through the possession of a series of Swabia
n nobles, including the Staufen
and particularly Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
. These constant changes of proprietor caused a severe decline in the monastery.
as a Premonstratensian
double abbey for men and women and given an adequate endowment. The canons were brought from Mönchsrot Abbey
in Rot an der Rot
. The existing premises were extensive and large-scale construction was not immediately necessary.
The first prior of the new foundation was Eberhard von Wolfegg from Mönchsrot Abbey. Between 1204-1208 Prior Meinhardt had the walls rebuilt. Prior Walther II had the old church extended to a three-aisled basilica
, which was dedicated on 2 May 1239 by Henry I, Bishop of Constance
.
In 1273 Prior Konrad (1226–75) forbade any more admissions to women, and the double monastery soon became one for men only.
Under Prior Heinrich Mörstetter (1436–61) Marchtal was raised to the status of an abbey, in 1440. In 1500 it was made an Imperial abbey, with a place and vote in the Reichstag
. In 1609 the abbot received the right to bear the pontificalia (mitre, ring and pectoral cross). At this period more than 20 places and estates belonged to the territory of the abbey, besides houses in the towns of Reutlingen
, Ehingen
, Munderkingen
and Riedlingen
.
The Thirty Years' War
caused much distress in the southwest of Germany. In 1632 the canons had to flee from the Swedes. The buildings survived the war, but in a very dilapidated state. It was left to the 15th abbot, the young Nikolaus Magnus Wierith, to undertake the restorations. Planning for the construction of the new church began in 1674; the first stone was laid in 1686, and the dedication took place in 1701.
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 during the secularisation
following upon the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, and with its territories became the possession of the Princes of Thurn und Taxis
, who administered it as part of the Principality of Buchau
.
In 1806 the former abbey was mediatised
by the Kingdom of Württemberg
. The abbey church became the parish church and the monastery became a "castle" (Schloss) or country house.
, also sometimes known as "Salesian sisters", from Chotieschau Abbey in Bohemia
(now Chotěšov Abbey
, Czech Republic
) were given accommodation in the north wing. The sisters ran a secondary school for girls here until 1992, when it was taken over by the "Stiftung Katholische Schule der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart". The convent moved in 1997 to Untermarchtal
.
In 1973 the diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
bought the entire monastic complex from the Princes Thurn und Taxis, and converted it into a teacher training academy, opened on 8 September 1978. On 16 September 2001, to mark the 300th anniversary of the dedication of the church, Bishop Gebhard Fürst raised the abbey church to the rank of a minster church.
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
monastery in Obermarchtal
Obermarchtal
Obermarchtal is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
in the Alb-Donau-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany. The minster church of Saints Peter and Paul, the former abbey church, located on a prominent elevation, still dominates the landscape for miles around.
First foundation
In 776776
Year 776 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 776 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* April 14 – Charlemagne spends Easter in...
the noble clan of the Ahalolfinger made a gift of the monastery founded by their ancestor Halaholf and his wife to St Gall's Abbey
Abbey of St. Gall
The Abbey of Saint Gall is a religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in present-day Switzerland. The Carolingian-era Abbey has existed since 719 and became an independent principality during the 13th century, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was...
. By 993 the monastery had become a collegiate foundation of canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
dedicated by Herman II, Duke of Swabia
Herman II, Duke of Swabia
Herman II was the Conradine duke of Swabia from 997 to his death, as the son of and successor Conrad I.Herman opposed the election of Henry IV, Duke of Bavaria, as king of Germany because he himself had been a contender...
, and his wife Gerberga to the apostles Peter and Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
.
During the 12th century the monastery passed through the possession of a series of Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
n nobles, including the Staufen
Staufen
Staufen refers to:*Hohenstaufen, a dynasty of German emperors*Staufen im Breisgau, a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany*Staufen, Switzerland, a municipality in Aargau*Staufen , a protein found in the egg of Drosophila...
and particularly Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
. These constant changes of proprietor caused a severe decline in the monastery.
Second foundation
In 1171 the monastery was refounded by Pfalzgraf Hugo II of TübingenTübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
as a Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
double abbey for men and women and given an adequate endowment. The canons were brought from Mönchsrot Abbey
Rot an der Rot Abbey
Rot an der Rot Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastery in Rot an der Rot in Upper Swabia, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was the first Premonstratensian monastery in the whole of Swabia...
in Rot an der Rot
Rot an der Rot
Rot an der Rot is a town in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. The town developed out of Rot an der Rot Abbey....
. The existing premises were extensive and large-scale construction was not immediately necessary.
The first prior of the new foundation was Eberhard von Wolfegg from Mönchsrot Abbey. Between 1204-1208 Prior Meinhardt had the walls rebuilt. Prior Walther II had the old church extended to a three-aisled basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
, which was dedicated on 2 May 1239 by Henry I, Bishop of Constance
Bishopric of Constance
The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and ecclesiastical state of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from about 585 until 1821. Its seat was Konstanz at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany...
.
In 1273 Prior Konrad (1226–75) forbade any more admissions to women, and the double monastery soon became one for men only.
Under Prior Heinrich Mörstetter (1436–61) Marchtal was raised to the status of an abbey, in 1440. In 1500 it was made an Imperial abbey, with a place and vote in the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
. In 1609 the abbot received the right to bear the pontificalia (mitre, ring and pectoral cross). At this period more than 20 places and estates belonged to the territory of the abbey, besides houses in the towns of Reutlingen
Reutlingen
Reutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district of Reutlingen. As of April 2008, it has a population of 109,828....
, Ehingen
Ehingen
Ehingen is a town in the Alb-Donau district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, situated on the left bank of the Danube, approx. 25 km southwest of Ulm and 67 km southeast of Stuttgart.-Statistics:...
, Munderkingen
Munderkingen
Munderkingen is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is situated on the Danube, 9 km southwest of Ehingen, and 31 km southwest of Ulm....
and Riedlingen
Riedlingen
Riedlingen is a town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, in the south-west of Germany. It is one of the destinations of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. There are ca. 10,000 inhabitants.- Geography :...
.
The Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
caused much distress in the southwest of Germany. In 1632 the canons had to flee from the Swedes. The buildings survived the war, but in a very dilapidated state. It was left to the 15th abbot, the young Nikolaus Magnus Wierith, to undertake the restorations. Planning for the construction of the new church began in 1674; the first stone was laid in 1686, and the dedication took place in 1701.
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 during the secularisation
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
following upon the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, and with its territories became the possession of the Princes of Thurn und Taxis
Thurn und Taxis
The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :...
, who administered it as part of the Principality of Buchau
Bad Buchau
Bad Buchau is a small town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with about 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated near the Federsee, which is separated from the town by a wide reed belt....
.
In 1806 the former abbey was mediatised
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
by the Kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
. The abbey church became the parish church and the monastery became a "castle" (Schloss) or country house.
Salesian Sisters
In 1919 a group of sisters of the Order of the Visitation of Holy MaryOrder of the Visitation of Holy Mary
The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary or the Visitation Order is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. Members of the order are also known as Filles de Sainte-Marie, Visitandines, Salesian Sisters and, more commonly, Visitationists.- History of the order :The Order was founded in 1610 by...
, also sometimes known as "Salesian sisters", from Chotieschau Abbey in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
(now Chotěšov Abbey
Chotešov Abbey
Chotěšov Abbey is a former Premonstratensian nunnery in Chotěšov, about 18 kilometres southwest of Pilsen in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic.-Premonstratensian nunnery:...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) were given accommodation in the north wing. The sisters ran a secondary school for girls here until 1992, when it was taken over by the "Stiftung Katholische Schule der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart". The convent moved in 1997 to Untermarchtal
Untermarchtal
Untermarchtal is a town in the district of Alb-Donau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
.
In 1973 the diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
The Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. The diocese is located in the Württemberg part of the German State of Baden-Württemberg.-History:...
bought the entire monastic complex from the Princes Thurn und Taxis, and converted it into a teacher training academy, opened on 8 September 1978. On 16 September 2001, to mark the 300th anniversary of the dedication of the church, Bishop Gebhard Fürst raised the abbey church to the rank of a minster church.
Sources
- Max Müller, Rudolf Reinhardt, Wilfried Schöntag (eds.), 1992: Marchtal. Prämonstratenserabtei, Fürstliches Schloß, Kirchliche Akademie. Festgabe zum 300jährigen Bestehen der Stiftskirche St. Peter und Paul (1692 bis 1992). Ulm.