Wechselburg Priory, Wechselburg, Germany

Wechselburg Benedictine Priory was dissolved in the 16th century and re-founded in 1993. Dedo V of Wettin founded the monastery, dedicated in 1168. Henry the Illustrious, Margrave of Meissen made a gift of it in 1278 to the Teutonic Order. In 1543 the abbey with all its possessions came into the hands of the territorial prince, Maurice, Elector of Saxony. It was eventually dissolved in 1570.

After the Thirty Years' War (1618–48) the lords of Schönburg built a Baroque castle on the foundations of the ruined abbey, which remained in the same family until their dispossession in 1945.

After the end of World War II the abbey church became the parish church and also a place of pilgrimage. In 1993 Benedictine monks from Ettal Abbey re-founded Wechselburg as a priory. Although the community is still small, they run a youth and family centre and are involved in pastoral care and managing the pilgrimages.

The Romanesque basilica of the Holy Cross remains as the parish church. It is famous for its huge and intricately carved medieval rood screen.

References:

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User Reviews

Frank Oppermann (3 years ago)
A very beautiful basilica in the interior. The look from the outside is plain and simple. The associated castle is closed due to the decay of the roof.

M H (3 years ago)
Very nice and worth a visit even in March. The basilica is also very impressive from the inside, but the best thing for me is the courtyard with the park behind it. Perfect for a picnic! ?

Antje Dngr (3 years ago)
Wechselburg

Heinrich Hasseröder (4 years ago)
Auch hier noch keine eigenen Erfahrungen.Ließ mich aber von bisherigen Rezensenten überzeugen,selbige nachzuholen.( etwa durch ausreichende fotografische Beispiele von Kloster und Park)??

Peter Zimmer (4 years ago)
Should be marketed a little better for tourism. This would certainly secure the preservation of the beautiful complex.

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The Church of the Holy Cross

The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).

The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

Wechselburg Priory

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