Innichen Abbey
Encyclopedia
The Abbey of Innichen (German: Stiftskirche Innichen) is a religious complex in Innichen
in South Tyrol
in northern Italy
. Founded in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 12th–13th centuries, it is considered the most important Romanesque building
in Tyrol and the Eastern Alps
and, in is home to a 13th century sculpture and a fresco cycle from the same age in the dome.
convent would be founded here, to convert the Pagan Slavs who had established in the area. Of this original construction, however, no certain traces have been found.
The church was entirely rebuilt from 1140: of this edifice today the external walls, the piers, the apses and the crypt remain. A second reconstruction was carried out from around 1240, when the vaults of the crypt and the nave, the transept and the dome at the crossing were added, including the frescoes with the History of Creation. Once finished, the church was consecrated to St. Candid and St. Corbinianus, patron saint of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, to which the abbey belonged at the time. The large bell tower was built later, from 1323 to 1326.
The edifice did not undergo any substantial modification. In 1969 a restoration was held, removing the few minor additions it had received during the centuries (especially in Baroque times), in particular re-discovering the crypt's frescoes, which had been covered with a layer of plaster.
. On the left is the massive bell tower, also in stone, with a square plane: each of the sides has a row of thin mullioned windows, except for the top floors, which have a larger single- and double- mullioned windows. The top is pyramidal in shape.
The rear area is more complex. The crossing is the background of a descending sequence of blocks, started by the presbytery
, and followed by the nave's apse, the roofs of the aisles' apses and finally the apses themselves. Another block on the left is the sacristy. The apses' exterior is decorated by Lombard band
s.
On the right side are a pilaster-shaped tabernacle, frescoed in the 15th century, and the Museum of the Collegiate.
. This houses a 13th century wooden sculpture portraying on the two patron saints of the church.
The dome is frescoed with the Stories of Creation, painted in the 13th century.
Innichen
Innichen is a market town and comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.It is located in the Puster Valley on the Drava river, about 120 km northeast of Trento and about 80 km northeast of Bolzano , on Italy's border with Austria.As November 2010, it had a...
in South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Founded in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 12th–13th centuries, it is considered the most important Romanesque building
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
in Tyrol and the Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps
Eastern Alps is the name given to the eastern half of the Alps, usually defined as the area east of the Splügen Pass in eastern Switzerland. North of the Splügen Pass, the Posterior Rhine forms the border, and south of the pass, the Liro river and Lake Como form the boundary line.-Geography:The...
and, in is home to a 13th century sculpture and a fresco cycle from the same age in the dome.
History
The original nucleus of the complex was founded in 769, when Tassilo III, duke of Bavaria gave to abbot Atto von Scharnitz some lands going from the current Monguelf to Abfaltersbach, provided that a BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
convent would be founded here, to convert the Pagan Slavs who had established in the area. Of this original construction, however, no certain traces have been found.
The church was entirely rebuilt from 1140: of this edifice today the external walls, the piers, the apses and the crypt remain. A second reconstruction was carried out from around 1240, when the vaults of the crypt and the nave, the transept and the dome at the crossing were added, including the frescoes with the History of Creation. Once finished, the church was consecrated to St. Candid and St. Corbinianus, patron saint of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, to which the abbey belonged at the time. The large bell tower was built later, from 1323 to 1326.
The edifice did not undergo any substantial modification. In 1969 a restoration was held, removing the few minor additions it had received during the centuries (especially in Baroque times), in particular re-discovering the crypt's frescoes, which had been covered with a layer of plaster.
Exterior
The church has a simple façade, in crude stone blocks. Over the central portal are two small mullioned windows, surmounted by a small frame dividing the façade in two and a rose windowRose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
. On the left is the massive bell tower, also in stone, with a square plane: each of the sides has a row of thin mullioned windows, except for the top floors, which have a larger single- and double- mullioned windows. The top is pyramidal in shape.
The rear area is more complex. The crossing is the background of a descending sequence of blocks, started by the presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
, and followed by the nave's apse, the roofs of the aisles' apses and finally the apses themselves. Another block on the left is the sacristy. The apses' exterior is decorated by Lombard band
Lombard band
A Lombard band is a decorative blind arcade, usually exterior, often used during the Romanesque and Gothic periods of architecture.Lombard bands are believed to have been first used during the First Romanesque Period of the early 11th Century. At that time, they were the most common architectural...
s.
On the right side are a pilaster-shaped tabernacle, frescoed in the 15th century, and the Museum of the Collegiate.
Interior
The interior has a nave and two aisles, the latter smaller in height, with a transept, a presbytery and three aisles. At the crossing is a cryptCrypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
. This houses a 13th century wooden sculpture portraying on the two patron saints of the church.
The dome is frescoed with the Stories of Creation, painted in the 13th century.