Carmelite Monastery, Bamberg, Germany

The Carmelite monastery of Bamberg was founded in the 12th century and turned into a baroque style building by Leonhard Dientzenhofer in 1692-1701. The church dedicated to St. Theodor was part of a Cistercian convent, whose nuns devoted themselves to nursing in the 13th century. In 1589, Carmelites moved into the building, that had been deserted in the meantime. Behind the monastery's baroque facade, the visitor is greeted by a late romanesque cloister dating from the 13th century.

References:

Bamberg Info

User Reviews

Dolores Tacz (11 months ago)
Super community

Heidelinde Müller (12 months ago)
doller cloister

000Hans000 M (13 months ago)
Faith and church are two different pairs of shoes!

Jochen Califice (2 years ago)
The cloister with courtyard is the highlight. Unfortunately, the monastery shop was permanently closed when we were there in September 2019. A beautiful place of silence in a quiet environment.

rho (2 years ago)
18.09.2019 We were only in the church, but we felt very comfortable there. In contrast to Bamberg Cathedral, here you have the church for yourself and you can look at it in peace. Of course, also go in and let it all hang out. A silent prayer is not disturbed here. We found the strong contrast between the furnishings and the building particularly noticeable. The Russian traces (?) In the vault promoted this impression. Conclusion: Quieter than the cathedral. If you liked the review, please click on the "Like" button. Thank you very much.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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Abbey of Saint-Étienne

The Abbey of Saint-Etienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes ('Men"s Abbey'), is a former monastery dedicated to Saint Stephen (Saint Étienne). It is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies" Abbey'), to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine.

Lanfranc, before being an Archbishop of Canterbury, was abbot of Saint-Etienne. Built in Caen stone during the 11th century, the two semi-completed churches stood for many decades in competition. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic architecture. The original Romanesque apse was replaced in 1166 by an early Gothic chevet, complete with rosette windows and flying buttresses. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. The interior vaulting shows a similar progression, beginning with early sexpartite vaulting (using circular ribs) in the nave and progressing to quadipartite vaults (using pointed ribs) in the sanctuary.

The two monasteries were finally donated by William the Conqueror and his wife, Matilda of Flanders, as penalty for their marriage against the Pope"s ruling. William was buried here; Matilda was buried in the Abbaye aux Dames. Unfortunately William"s original tombstone of black marble, the same kind as Matilda"s in the Abbaye aux Dames, was destroyed by the Calvinist iconoclasts in the 16th century and his bones scattered.

As a consequence of the Wars of Religion, the high lantern tower in the middle of the church collapsed and was never rebuilt. The Benedictine abbey was suppressed during the French Revolution and the abbey church became a parish church. From 1804 to 1961, the abbey buildings accommodated a prestigious high school, the Lycée Malherbe. During the Normandy Landings in 1944, inhabitants of Caen found refuge in the church; on the rooftop there was a red cross, made with blood on a sheet, to show that it was a hospital (to avoid bombings).

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