Weissenau Abbey

Coordinates: 47°45′47″N 9°35′46″E / 47.76306°N 9.59611°E / 47.76306; 9.59611
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Imperial Abbey of Weissenau
Reichsstift Weißenau
13th century – 1802
Sternberg-
    Manderscheid
1802
• Bought by Württemberg
1835
 Succeeded by
Sternberg-Manderscheid

Weissenau Abbey (German: Kloster Weißenau, Reichsstift Weißenau) was an

Imperial Estate and therefore its abbot had seat and vote in the Reichstag as a prelate of the Swabian Bench. The abbey existed from 1145 until the secularisation
of 1802-1803.

History

The site was originally called Au (

Bishop of Konstanz, to whose diocese it then belonged. During the first few years of its existence it had a nunnery attached, but this was transferred to Weissenthal
nearby by Provost Herman, where it continued and existed there until the 15th century.

Weissenau Abbey in 1625

The number of canons at Weissenau increased so rapidly that in 1183 the newly founded monastery of

Imperial abbey
" (i.e., territorially independent) about this time.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, Weissenau was repeatedly pillaged by warring factions. Its most severe trial came during the German Peasants' War, when the canons were temporarily driven out and the abbot, Jacob Murer (1523–33), was replaced by the peasant Johann Wetzel.

Abbot Leopold Mauch (1704–22) began the rebuilding of the abbey in 1708 and of the church in 1717. The church, which is in the Baroque style, was completed in 1724 by his successor, Michael Helmling (1722–24), and the monastic buildings by Anton Unold (1724–65), of which the "Festsaal", still used for concerts, is of particular note for its elaborate stucco work.

Weissenau and other Imperial abbeys near Ravensburg. Imperial abbots ruled their abbeys as quasi-sovereign monarchs.

At the time of its secularisation in 1802, it had 27 canons, who administered the parishes of Weissenau, St. Jodock, Bodnegg, Grünkraut, Thaldorf, St. Christian, Gornhofen, Obereschach and Obereisenbach. Its possessions comprised 198 estates and its jurisdiction extended over 137 villages. In all, Weissenau had eight provosts and 41 abbots. Its last abbot, Bonaventure Brem (1794–1802), died on 4 August 1818.

After secularisation the former abbey became the property of the Count of

Sternberg-Manderscheid, upon whose death it was bought by the government of Württemberg
in 1835, but partly resold and turned into a dressmaking and bleaching concern which continued in operation in parts of the outlying premises until 2006. Since 1892, the principal buildings have been used as an asylum for the insane, the present psychiatric clinic "Die Weissenau", which also occupied the former abbots' summer residence at Rahlenhof until recently.

Procession of the Holy Blood

Weissenau became very well known on account of the relic of the

Rudolph of Habsburg in 1283. Up to 1783 the famous Blutritt (English: Procession of the Holy Blood), similar to that of the neighbouring Weingarten Abbey, took place every year. It consisted of a solemn procession during which the relic was carried by a priest on horseback, accompanied by many other riders and a large crowd. The relic is still preserved in the old abbey church, which now serves as the parish church of Weissenau. Reference to it is made in the medieval epic Lohengrin
.

Gallery

  • Former abbey church, Weissenau
    Former abbey church, Weissenau
  • Weissenau Abbey church interior
    Weissenau Abbey church interior
  • Altars and choir
    Altars and choir
  • Cross Altar
    Cross Altar
  • Side altar
    Side altar
  • Side altar
    Side altar
  • Side altar
    Side altar
  • Organ
    Organ

References

  • (in German) Binder, Helmut (ed.), 1995. 850 Jahre Prämonstratenserabtei Weissenau. 1145–1995. Sigmaringen: Thorbecke.
    ISBN 3-7995-0414-1
  • (in German) Eitel, Peter (ed.), 1983. Weissenau in Geschichte und Gegenwart. Festschrift zur 700-Jahrfeier der Übergabe der Heiligblutreliquie durch Rudolf von Habsburg an die Prämonstratenserabtei Weissenau. Sigmaringen: Thorbecke.
    ISBN 3-7995-4020-2
  • (in German) Steinert, Tilman, 1985. Die Geschichte des Psychiatrischen Landeskrankenhauses Weißenau. Darstellung der Anstaltsgeschichte von 1888 bis 1945 im ideengeschichtelichen und sozioökonomischen Kontext. Weinsberg: Weissenhof-Verlag.
    ISBN 3-923067-45-3
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Monastery of Weissenau". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Further reading

  • Elke Wenzel: Die mittelalterliche Bibliothek der Abtei Weißenau. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1998,
    ISBN 3-631-32206-2

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Kloster Weißenau (category)

47°45′47″N 9°35′46″E / 47.76306°N 9.59611°E / 47.76306; 9.59611

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