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:

Comments

Your name


Address

Pfarrplatz 9, Windberg, Germany
See all sites in Windberg

Details

Founded: 1121-1146
Category: Religious sites in Germany
Historical period: Salian Dynasty (Germany)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Oberalteich Abbey (6,3 km)


Altnussberg Castle Ruins (20,9 km)
Aldersbach Abbey (46,4 km)
Neunussberg Castle (21,3 km)
Metten Abbey (15,7 km)
Niederaltaich Abbey (28,2 km)
Ortenburg Castle (56 km)
Mallersdorf Abbey (40,3 km)
Falkenstein Castle (26,1 km)
Osterhofen Abbey (33,9 km)

User Reviews

Joshua Van Rijssel (5 months ago)
Nice monastery
Zoe Karumenos (2 years ago)
For this very beautiful church is worth a longer journey. It has just been renovated and is a feast for the eye. The original church building never burned down and was never demolished. A walk through this monastery church is therefore a fascinating journey through 850 years of church history. A guide is recommended. Visitors should allow enough time for the visit. There are many unusual details to discover. Such as the numerous stars used to paint the interior walls of the church. It should be more than 365. The abbot who commissioned her was an astronomer and astrologer and also hid some zodiac signs in the church. Just play detective yourself. And who wants to do something for his salvation, can try the new, very modern designed confessional. To make an appointment with one of the Fathers. Due to the proximity to the youth education center, the fathers are updated and have an open ear for what is haunting people today. There are also younger patrons on site.
Philipp Grieb (2 years ago)
The monastery church in Windberg was one of the most important sites of the Straubing sculptor Mathias Obermayr (1720-1799) (Source: E. and K. Tyroller: Mathias Obermayr)
Rastislav Höger (2 years ago)
Very nice church. Fixed (maj 2019). In the evening the church played the amateur theater (end of June 2019). The cluster can accommodate.
Renate Falk (2 years ago)
This is a special place of power and I have decided to return more often.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.