Buchau Abbey
Encyclopedia
Buchau Abbey or the Imperial Abbey of Buchau was a nunnery, and later collegiate foundation, in the present town of Bad Buchau
in Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
.
According to its legend, it was founded in about 770 on an island in the Federsee
by the Frankish
Count Warin and his wife Adelindis (still commemorated in the local Adelindisfest). The nunnery was put on a secure financial footing by Louis the Pious
, who in 819 granted the nuns property in the Saulgau and in Mengen. In 857, Louis the German
declared it a private religious house of the Carolingian
Imperial family and appointed as abbess his daughter Irmingard (died 16 July 866).
In the 13th century, it was counted as an Augustinian house, but thereafter was a collegiate foundation of canonesses
from noble families in Swabia
. In 1347, the establishment gained Imperial immediacy and the abbess was raised to the rank of Princess-Abbess
.
In 1415, the abbey became a secular foundation. It was able to expand its property to create a small territory. In 1625, the feudal lordship of Strassberg
reverted to the abbey.
In the secularisation of 1803, it was dissolved and its assets passed to Thurn and Taxis, from where they were transferred to the kingdom of Württemberg
as early as 1806. The lordship of Strassberg however fell into the hands of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
.
The abbey church of Saints Cornelius
and Cyprian
, one of the first neo-classical
buildings in southern Germany, still with some late Baroque
features, was constructed between 1774 and 1776 by Pierre Michel d'Ixnard as a conversion and refurbishment of a Gothic
church. It includes stucco sculptures by Johann Joseph Christian
.
Bad Buchau
Bad Buchau is a small town in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany with about 4,000 inhabitants. It is situated near the Federsee, which is separated from the town by a wide reed belt....
in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
According to its legend, it was founded in about 770 on an island in the Federsee
Federsee
Federsee is a lake located just north of Bad Buchau in the region of Upper Swabia in Southern Germany. It is surrounded by moorland, partially overgrown with reeds. With a size of 33 km² , the area is one of the largest, groundwater fed, connected moorlands in Southern Germany. At its deepest...
by the Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
Count Warin and his wife Adelindis (still commemorated in the local Adelindisfest). The nunnery was put on a secure financial footing by Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, who in 819 granted the nuns property in the Saulgau and in Mengen. In 857, Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
declared it a private religious house of the Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
Imperial family and appointed as abbess his daughter Irmingard (died 16 July 866).
In the 13th century, it was counted as an Augustinian house, but thereafter was a collegiate foundation of canonesses
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
from noble families in Swabia
Swabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
. In 1347, the establishment gained Imperial immediacy and the abbess was raised to the rank of Princess-Abbess
Prince-abbot
A Prince-Abbot is a title for a cleric who is a Prince of the Church , in the sense of an ex officio temporal lord of a feudal entity, notably a State of the Holy Roman Empire. The secular territory ruled by the head of an abbey is known as Prince-Abbacy or Abbey-principality...
.
In 1415, the abbey became a secular foundation. It was able to expand its property to create a small territory. In 1625, the feudal lordship of Strassberg
Straßberg, Zollernalbkreis
Straßberg is a municipality in the Zollernalbkreis district, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.- References :...
reverted to the abbey.
In the secularisation of 1803, it was dissolved and its assets passed to Thurn and Taxis, from where they were transferred to the kingdom of Württemberg
Kingdom of Württemberg
The Kingdom of Württemberg was a state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located in present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was a continuation of the Duchy of Württemberg, which came into existence in 1495...
as early as 1806. The lordship of Strassberg however fell into the hands of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
-Noble jurisdictions:Prince Karl Eitel of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and descendants of his nephew Ferdinand ruled over the Kingdom of Romania, as Karl Eitel did not have children...
.
The abbey church of Saints Cornelius
Cornelius
Cornelius is a Roman family name and a masculine given name. It could be derived from Latin cornu "horn". People, places and things named Cornelius include:-Surname:...
and Cyprian
Cyprian
Cyprian was bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at Carthage, where he received a classical education...
, one of the first neo-classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
buildings in southern Germany, still with some late Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
features, was constructed between 1774 and 1776 by Pierre Michel d'Ixnard as a conversion and refurbishment of a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church. It includes stucco sculptures by Johann Joseph Christian
Johann Joseph Christian
Johann Joseph Christian was a German Baroque sculptor and woodcarver. His masterworks are considered to be the choir stalls in Zwiefalten Abbey and Ottobeuren Abbey....
.