Schäftlarn Abbey

Schäftlarn Abbey (Kloster Schäftlarn) is a Benedictine monastery on the Isar in Schäftlarn, south of Munich in Bavaria, Germany.

View of Schäftlarn Abbey with the River Isar from Strasslach

History
Engraving of Schäftlarn Abbey from the "Churbaierische Atlas" of Anton Wilhelm Ertl, 1690
The new baroque buildings; copperplate engraving by Michael Wening, 1701

The monastery was founded in 762 by Waltrich, a Benedictine monk of noble family, on his own land. During the next two centuries the monastery grew as a result of various gifts and endowments (among them the estates of Schwabing and Hesselohe).

From 1140 to its dissolution during the secularisation of Bavaria in 1803, Schäftlarn belonged to the Premonstratensian Order.

In 1866 King Ludwig II of Bavaria restored possession to the Benedictines, who set up a secondary school ("Gymnasium") here.

The abbey is a member of the Bavarian Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation.

School

The school did close between 1941 and 1945 by the National Socialists. Immediately after the war the school, which is private, was re-opened as a "Progymnasium", that is to say, only for German forms 5 to 10 (equivalent to the Upper Fifth form), to the year before the Abitur. Abitur examinations were not conducted in Schäftlarn until 1973. In 2005 the school had about 420 pupils, both day pupils (boys and girls) and boarders (boys only).

Buildings
Schäftlarn Abbey

Architecture

The present abbey buildings were constructed in 1707 to plans by Giovanni Antonio Viscardi. The church of Saint Denis, built as the abbey church, is a beautiful example of the Rococo architectural style. It was begun as a new building from 1733 to 1740 under Francois de Cuvilliés the Elder, and finished during the period from 1751 to 1760 by Johann Georg Gunetzrhainer and Johann Michael Fischer. From 1754 to 1756 the church was painted and decorated with stucco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann. From 1756 to 1764 Johann Baptist Straub worked on the altars and the chancel. There is also a formal garden here, the "Prelate's Garden", recently restored.

See also

References
  • Winhard, Wolfgang, and Peda, Gregor (nd). Kloster Schäftlarn: Geschichte und Kunst. Kunstverlag Peda Gregor. ISBN 3-927296-80-5
  • Mitterer, Sigisbert, 1962. 1200 Jahre Kloster Schäftlarn. Seitz Verlag.

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