Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Imperial Abbeys. Fürstenfeld Abbey (Reichskloster Fürstenfeld).


Text and Illustrations from Wikipedia - the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.



Kloster Fürstenfeld (Fürstenfeld Abbey),
Fürstenfeldbruck (formerly known simply as Bruck),
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Photo: 15 August 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Martenas.h.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Fürstenfeld Abbey (German: Kloster Fürstenfeld) is a former Cistercian Monastery, in Fürstenfeldbruck (formerly known simply as Bruck), in Bavaria, Germany.

It is situated about 25 km North-West of Munich. The Abbey was one of the Household Monasteries of the Wittelsbachs. The Abbey Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is held to be a masterpiece of the Late-Baroque in Southern Germany.



Kloster Fürstenfeld (Fürstenfeld Abbey),
Photo: October 2005.
Source: Own work.
Author: Patrick Huebgen.
(Wikimedia Commons)


In 1256, Louis II, Duke of Bavaria (Louis the Severe) killed his first wife, Marie of Brabant (1226–1256) on suspicion of adultery (which later turned out to be unfounded), the penance for which, as imposed by Pope Alexander IV, was the foundation of a Monastery.

The first foundation at Seldental, in 1258, was afterwards moved to the present site near the town of Bruck, in 1263. Papal permission for the new foundation to be settled by Cistercian Monks, from Aldersbach Abbey, had been obtained as early as 1256, but was not confirmed by the Bishop of Freising until 1265, in which year the new Abbey was at last settled.



Deutsch: Nordwestseite der Klosterkirche St. Mariä Himmelfahrt,
Kloster Fürstenfeld, Fürstenfeldbruck.
English: Exterior of Fürstenfeld Abbey (Reichskloster Fürstenfeld),
Bavaria, Germany.
Photo: 29 June 2011.
Source: Own work.
Author: Rufus46
(Wikimedia Commons)



The High Altar,
The Monastery Church,
Fürstenfeldbruck, Bavaria,
Germany.
Photo: 21 September 2008.
Source: Own work.
Author: Tepold.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Louis II endowed and privileged the new Abbey very handsomely and, when he died, was buried here. His son, Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, was also a great benefactor to the Abbey, which supported him in his dynastic struggle against the Habsburger, Frederick the Handsome.

Emperor Louis IV died of a stroke, at Puch, nearby, on 11 October 1347, during a bear hunt, and his heart was buried here. Both men, named Louis, are commemorated by elaborate Baroque monuments.

In 1632-1633, during the Thirty Years' War, the Monastery was sacked by troops of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and the Monks fled to Munich. From 1640, however, the Abbey began to make an economic recovery. Under Abbot Martin Dallmayr, several Churches were built and the number of Monks doubled.



Deutsch: Klosterkirche Fürstenfeldbruck (Oberbayern).
Innenansicht nach Osten.
English: Fürstenfeld Abbey,
Photo: January 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Dark Avenger.
(Wikimedia Commons)



English: Panoramic view of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary,
Fürstenfeld Abbey, Bavaria, Germany.
Stitched with "Hugin" out of 7 photos.
Deutsch: Panoramainnenasicht der Klosterkirche Maria Himmelfahrt
des Klosters Fürstenfeld.
Zusammengesetzt mit "Hugin" aus 7 Fotos.
Photo: 10 September 2013.
Source: Own work.
Author: Mummelgrummel.
(Wikimedia Commons)


In 1691, the Foundation Stone was laid of the Baroque Monastery buildings, responsibility for the construction of which lay with the Munich Court Architect and Master Builder, Giovanni Antonio Viscardi.

The supervision of the construction, which did not properly begin until after the War of the Spanish Succession, was the responsibility of Johann Georg Ettenhofer, who probably introduced some alterations to Viscardi's Plans. In 1723, the Quire (Choir) was completed, and, in 1741, the Church was Dedicated, but the remaining works lingered on until about 1780.

A number of first-class artists were employed in the fitting-out, including the brothers Jacopo and Francesco Appiani and the Asam brothers: Cosmas Damian Asam painted the ceiling frescoes, and Egid Quirin Asam created the Side Altars and possibly also the design of the High Altar.




Deutsch: Klosterkirche Fürstenfeldbruck (Oberbayern).
Der Chor, Nordseite.
English: Fürstenfeld Abbey Choir,
Photo: January 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Dark Avenger.
(Wikimedia Commons)


In layout, the Abbey Church of Fürstenfeld follows the typical pattern of South German and Austrian Churches, such as St. Michael's Church, Munich, Klagenfurt Cathedral and the Academy Church of the Assumption in Dillingen an der Donau. The Interior is of imposing height and width, and, in spite of the lengthy construction and fitting-out period, makes a very unified impression.

In 1803, as a result of the general secularisation in Bavaria, Fürstenfeld Abbey passed into private ownership. The new proprietor was Ignaz Leitenberger, a Bohemian cloth manufacturer. The inhabitants of the town of Bruck saved the Church from demolition, however. In 1816, it became the property of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and, from that time forward, has served as a Church of the Royal Family.



English: In 1816, Fürstenfeld Abbey became the property of
Deutsch: Maximilian I. von Bayern im Krönungsornat.
Français: Maximilian Ier, roi de Bavière.
Polski: Maksymilian I Józef Wittelsbach.
日本語: バイエルン王マクシミリアン1世.
Italiano: Re Massimiliano I di Baviera. (Ritratto di Joseph Stieler, 1822).
Português: Maximiliano I da Baviera.
Español: Rey Maximiliano I de Baviera.
Svenska: MaxI.jpg.
Date: Probably 1820.
Source: See below.
Author: Joseph Karl Stieler (1781–1858).
(Wikimedia Commons)


In 1817, the Bavarian Field Marshal, Prince Wrede, bought up the whole Monastery, in which, a year later, a hospital and home for invalid soldiers was opened. In 1828, a Prayer Room for Protestants was opened in the former Chapter Room. Between 1848 and 1921, the Monastery buildings were used for a variety of military purposes: For example, as a Base for a number of Infantry and Cavalry Units and as a Military Hospital. In 1866, part of the premises, in use at the time as a hospital, to the South of the Church, was destroyed in a fire.

After 1918, the former Service Range became the property of the Wittelsbach Compensation Fund, which rented it in 1923 to Ettal Abbey. From 1921, the remaining Monastic buildings were used as boarding accommodation for school children.



The Monastery Church,
Fürstenfeldbruck, Bavaria,
Germany.
Photo: 21 September 2008.
Source: Own work.
Author: Tepold.
(Wikimedia Commons)


From 1924 to 1975, various Police-related institutions were accommodated here, such as the principal Police Training School and the Training Schools of the Schutzpolizei and the Landpolizei, and, from 1975, the Special Police Studies Department of the Bavarian Civil Service Technical College. In 1979, the town of Fürstenfeldbruck acquired the Service Buildings, which they re-modelled between 1987 and 2001 into a new cultural centre for the citizens of the District of Fürstenfeldbruck.

Also on the historic Abbey site is the Fürstenfeldbruck Event Forum (German: Veranstaltungsforum Fürstenfeldbruck), in a new Civic Hall, built next to the restored Service Range, where seminars, day conferences, theatre performances, and many other kinds of event are held.


at

No comments:

Post a Comment