Windberg Abbey, Windberg, Germany

Windberg Abbey was founded by Count Albert I of Bogen with the assistance of Bishop Otto of Bamberg on the site of the original seat of the Counts of Bogen. Initially it was not a specifically Premonstratensian foundation, but was transferred to the order as an already established community between 1121 and 1146. The quire of the church was dedicated in 1142 by Heinrich Zdik, Bishop of Olmütz, in the presence of Count Albert. Duke Vladislav II of Bohemia secured the endowment of the monastery by granting it the properties of Schüttenhofen (now Sušice) and Albrechtsried.

The foundation was dedicated in honour of the Virgin Mary and in 1146 raised to the status of an abbey. After the extension of the abbey church it was dedicated on 28 November 1167 by the Premonstratensian abbot of Leitomischl (now Litomyšl) and Johannes IV, bishop of Olmütz.

The abbey was secularised and dissolved during the secularisation of Bavaria in 1803. The church became a parish church and the abbot's house the residence of the parish clergy. The monastic buildings passed into private ownership, and from 1835 were used for a brewery.

In 1923 the monastic community was re-established here by Premonstratensians from Berne-Heeswijk Abbey in the Netherlands. As of 2005, 33 Premonstratensian canons live in Windberg.

The church is a three-aisled basilica with transept. It mostly originates from the 12th century and shows the influence of Hirsau Abbey. The monumental chief portal is especially impressive; the north portal is somewhat simpler. The tower, built in the 13th century, received its present form as recently as 1750 - 1760.

The Baroque high altar was made between 1735 and 1740, and contains a statue of the Virgin from about 1650. The pulpit dates from 1674. The stucco work in the church interior was created by Mathias Obermayr, who also made the four extremely detailed side-altars, two of which are dated 1756.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Josefine Löwinger Burkhart (12 months ago)
And the singing by Stefan Bach and the choir was really nice

N (2 years ago)
We were there for 3 days! It was really very nice ? good food ? nice staff??nice rooms☺️highly recommended ?there is a beautiful monastery and the church. Definitely worth a visit.

hannah (2 years ago)
So the rooms are okay except for the most uncomfortable beds ever, the lamps that don't work, the showers where you can talk to your neighbors, the food that tastes like shit, the people who don't even smile back at you, and that walls that are simply made of cardboard. All in all, it's really beautiful here

Leo Muhr (2 years ago)
Got sick beds are bad food was atrocious and wifi was bad and had to make some kake all the time was so boring

v (3 years ago)
Hello, the beds are extremely hard and the showers only have cold water and they are much too small. Kettle from 1870 and boils the water extremely dangerous man, it splashes up and stuff. Everyone suddenly gets some plague (disease). The food was quite acceptable, however sometimes there wasn't enough variety.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

Windberg Abbey

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle