Gutenzell Abbey
Encyclopedia
Gutenzell Abbey was a Cistercian nunnery in the municipality of Gutenzell-Hürbel
in the district of Biberach
, Baden-Württemberg
, Germany
.
The origins of the monastery are unknown. According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 12th century by two sisters of the aristocratic family Schlossberg (in later tradition called Schlüsselberg), whose castle was nearby, and called in Cella Dei, rendering Gottes Zelle in German
.
However, the first record of Gutenzell Abbey was its refoundation, or possibly confirmation, charter
from 1237 as a Cistercian monastery under the name of Bona Cella, Gute Zelle in German, hence Gutenzell. In its early days the monastery was favoured and supported particularly by the noble family of Aichheim. The first abbess
of Gutenzell Abbey was Mechthilda von Aichheim ruling from 1237 to 1243. Other local noble families also patronised the abbey. Following a huge fire in the period between the original foundation and the reconfirmation in 1237, several nobles of the surrounding area provided means for reconstructing the monastic buildings. During its history, the monastery housed predominantly noble women.
Already in 1238, the refounded abbey was officially recognised by Pope Gregory IX
who also put it under the spiritual supervision of Salem Abbey
which lasted until 1753 when the task was transferred to Kaisheim Abbey
.
Most parts of the monastery had to be rebuilt in 1369 following a disastrous fire caused by lightning.
In 1474 the monastery church Saints Cosmas and Damian
became the parish church of the village of Gutenzell which had developed around the abbey. As it now stands, it is a medieval structure re-worked in the Baroque
style. However, the origins of the church can be dated back to the 12th century, indicated by traces in its walls.
In the Later Middle Ages Gutenzell Abbey gradually managed to achieve imperial immediacy, the legal basis of which was formed by two privileges by Emperor Sigismund
in 1417 and 1437. From 1521, the abbey's chamberlain
represented the Abbess of Gutenzell during meetings of the Swabian Circle
.
A fire in 1522 caused considerable damage, destroying the cloister
.
In 1525 the abbey was looted by revolting farmers of the Baltringer Haufen
during the German Peasants' War
.
During the Thirty Years' War
the nuns fled approaching Swedish troops to Styria in 1632. The convent remained there until 1647, shortly before the end of the war in 1648. However, on their withdrawal, Swedish troops laid fire to the abbey in December 1646.
In 1685 Gutenzell Abbey received the privilege of inflicting high justice
.
In the second half of the 18th century the last major refurbishment of the monastery church was carried out in 1755-56 by the Wessobrunn
stucco
ist Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer
the Elder, possibly following plans by Dominikus Zimmermann
, whose daughter Maria Alexandra was prioress at the time. Later she would be abbess from 1759 to 1776. The frescoes are by Johann Georg Dieffenbrunner. The pulpit
from 1756 was made by Stephan Luidl who also created the high altar in 1762, possibly also to designs by Dominikus Zimmermann.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Gutenzell Abbey was in possession not only of the village of Gutenzell but also owned parts of other villages with a total of 1189 subjects. Amongst others it ruled over a third of the villages of Achstetten
and Kirchberg
and half of Oberholzheim.
In 1803, the abbey was dissolved during secularisation
and its assets transferred first to the Counts of Toerring, and then in 1806 to the Kingdom of Württemberg
. At that time Gutenzell Abbey housed 36 nuns, a number which had been more or less consistent since the 16th century. The abbey was given a new rule by the Württemberg government which now functioned as superior. However, new nuns were not allowed to enter the convent. 28 nuns still lived in the monastery in 1812. The tradition of Gutenzell Abbey became extinct with the death of the last nun in 1851, the last abbess, Maria Justina von Erolzheim, having already died in 1809.
The premises were almost entirely demolished in 1864.
The former monastery church is now part of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route
.
Gutenzell-Hürbel
Gutenzell-Hürbel is a town in the district of Biberach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.Gutenzell developed out of Gutenzell Abbey, a Cistercian nunnery founded in 1237....
in the district of Biberach
Biberach (district)
Biberach is a district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Ravensburg, Sigmaringen, Reutlingen and Alb-Donau, and the Bavarian districts Neu-Ulm, Unterallgäu and the district-free city Memmingen...
, 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...
.
The origins of the monastery are unknown. According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 12th century by two sisters of the aristocratic family Schlossberg (in later tradition called Schlüsselberg), whose castle was nearby, and called in Cella Dei, rendering Gottes Zelle in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
However, the first record of Gutenzell Abbey was its refoundation, or possibly confirmation, charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
from 1237 as a Cistercian monastery under the name of Bona Cella, Gute Zelle in German, hence Gutenzell. In its early days the monastery was favoured and supported particularly by the noble family of Aichheim. The first abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of Gutenzell Abbey was Mechthilda von Aichheim ruling from 1237 to 1243. Other local noble families also patronised the abbey. Following a huge fire in the period between the original foundation and the reconfirmation in 1237, several nobles of the surrounding area provided means for reconstructing the monastic buildings. During its history, the monastery housed predominantly noble women.
Already in 1238, the refounded abbey was officially recognised by Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
who also put it under the spiritual supervision of Salem Abbey
Salem Abbey
Salem Abbey , also known as Salmansweiler and in Latin as Salomonis Villa, was a very prominent Cistercian monastery in Salem in the district of Bodensee about ten miles from Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-Abbey:The abbey was founded in 1136 by Gunthram of Adelsreute Salem Abbey (Kloster or...
which lasted until 1753 when the task was transferred to Kaisheim Abbey
Kaisheim Abbey
Kaisheim Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Kaisheim, Bavaria, Germany.- History :It was founded by Henry II, Count of Lechsgemünd and his wife Liutgard, and was a daughter house of Lucelle Abbey in Alsace. Count Henry's initial gift of the land was made in 1133; the foundation charter was dated...
.
Most parts of the monastery had to be rebuilt in 1369 following a disastrous fire caused by lightning.
In 1474 the monastery church Saints Cosmas and Damian
Saints Cosmas and Damian
Saints Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers, physicians, and early Christian martyrs born in Cilicia, part of today's Turkey. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Ayas, Adana, then in the Roman province of Syria...
became the parish church of the village of Gutenzell which had developed around the abbey. As it now stands, it is a medieval structure re-worked in the 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...
style. However, the origins of the church can be dated back to the 12th century, indicated by traces in its walls.
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
in 1417 and 1437. From 1521, the abbey's chamberlain
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
represented the Abbess of Gutenzell during meetings of the Swabian Circle
Swabian Circle
The Swabian Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1500 on the territory of the former German stem-duchy of Swabia. However, it did not include the Habsburg home territories of Swabian Austria, the member states of the Swiss Confederacy nor the lands of the Alsace...
.
A fire in 1522 caused considerable damage, destroying the cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
.
In 1525 the abbey was looted by revolting farmers of the Baltringer Haufen
Baltringer Haufen
The Baltringer Haufen was prominent among several armed groups of peasants and craftsmen during the German Peasants' War of 1524-1525. The name derived from the small Upper Swabian village of Baltringen, which lies approximately south of Ulm in the district of Biberach, Germany...
during the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
.
During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
the nuns fled approaching Swedish troops to Styria in 1632. The convent remained there until 1647, shortly before the end of the war in 1648. However, on their withdrawal, Swedish troops laid fire to the abbey in December 1646.
In 1685 Gutenzell Abbey received the privilege of inflicting high justice
High Justice
High Justice is a 1974 collection of science fiction short stories by Jerry Pournelle. It was republished in a omnibus edition with Exiles to Glory in 2009 as Exile -- and Glory....
.
Wessobrunn Abbey
Wessobrunn Abbey was a Benedictine monastery near Weilheim in Bavaria, Germany.It is celebrated as the home of the famous Wessobrunn Prayer and also of a Baroque school of stucco workers and plasterers in the 18th century....
stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ist Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer
Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer
Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer was a German Baroque stucco plasterer of the Wessobrunner School.A member of the famous Feuchtmayer family, he was the son of Michael Feuchtmayer Franz Xaver Feuchtmayer (the Elder) (1698, Wessobrunn, Bavaria – 1763) was a German Baroque stucco plasterer of the...
the Elder, possibly following plans by Dominikus Zimmermann
Dominikus Zimmermann
Dominikus Zimmermann was a German Rococo architect and stuccoist.-Life:Dominikus Zimmermann was born in Gaispoint near Wessobrunn in 1685 and became a Baumeister and a stuccoist. His older brother Johann Baptist Zimmermann was an architect and a frescoist...
, whose daughter Maria Alexandra was prioress at the time. Later she would be abbess from 1759 to 1776. The frescoes are by Johann Georg Dieffenbrunner. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
from 1756 was made by Stephan Luidl who also created the high altar in 1762, possibly also to designs by Dominikus Zimmermann.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Gutenzell Abbey was in possession not only of the village of Gutenzell but also owned parts of other villages with a total of 1189 subjects. Amongst others it ruled over a third of the villages of Achstetten
Achstetten
Achstetten is a the northernmost municipality in the district of Biberach, in the region of Upper Swabia in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. As of 30 September 2008, it has a population of 4.141....
and Kirchberg
Kirchberg an der Iller
Kirchberg an der Iller is a municipality in Baden-Württemberg in the south-west of Germany and in the very east of the "Landkreis Biberach". Biberach is the capital of the district. Kirchberg is located in Swabia near the small river Iller. It's near the border to Bavaria.Kirchberg was first...
and half of Oberholzheim.
In 1803, the abbey was dissolved during secularisation
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
and its assets transferred first to the Counts of Toerring, and then in 1806 to the Kingdom of Württemberg
History of Württemberg
Württemberg developed as a political entity in south-west Germany, with the core established around Stuttgart by Count Conrad . His descendants managed to expand Württemberg, surviving Germany's religious wars, changes in imperial policy, and invasions from France. The state had a basic...
. At that time Gutenzell Abbey housed 36 nuns, a number which had been more or less consistent since the 16th century. The abbey was given a new rule by the Württemberg government which now functioned as superior. However, new nuns were not allowed to enter the convent. 28 nuns still lived in the monastery in 1812. The tradition of Gutenzell Abbey became extinct with the death of the last nun in 1851, the last abbess, Maria Justina von Erolzheim, having already died in 1809.
The premises were almost entirely demolished in 1864.
The former monastery church is now part of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route
Upper Swabian Baroque Route
The Upper Swabian Baroque Route is a touristic theme route through Upper Swabia, following the themes of "nature, culture, baroque". The route has a length of about 500 km . It was established in 1966, being one of the first theme routes in Germany...
.
External links
History of Gutenzell Abbey (in German)Literature
- Maegraith, Janine Christina, Das Zisterzienserinnenkloster Gutenzell: vom Reichskloster zur geduldeten Frauengemeinschaft, Epfendorf, 2006. ISBN 3-928471-66-X
- Beck, Otto (ed.), Gutenzell: Geschichte und Kunstwerk, München, 1988. ISBN 3-7954-0679-X.
See also
- Cistercians
- Imperial Abbey
- Upper SwabiaUpper SwabiaUpper Swabia is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The name refers to the area between the Swabian Alb, Lake Constance and the Lech...