Göss Abbey
Encyclopedia
Göss Abbey is a former Benedictine
nunnery in Göss, now a part of Leoben
in Styria, Austria
. After the abbey's dissolution in 1782 the church, now a parish church, was the seat of the short-lived Bishopric of Leoben.
in Salzburg
. The first abbess was Kunigunde, sister of Archbishop Aribo. It was made an Imperial abbey by Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
, in 1020. The Benedictine Rule was introduced in the 12th century.
Göss Abbey functioned for centuries as a centre for the Styrian aristocracy to have their daughters educated and if necessary accommodated, and entry was strictly limited to members of the nobility.
The nunnery, the last remaining Imperial abbey on Habsburg
lands, was dissolved in 1782 in the course of the rationalist reforms of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
, and from 1786 served for a short time as the seat of the newly-founded Bishopric of Leoben, of which the former abbey church, dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Andrew
, was the cathedral. The first and only bishop died in 1800, and from 1808 the diocese was administered by the Bishops of Seckau until it was formally abolished in 1859. In 1827 the premises were auctioned off and acquired by the wheelwrights' co-operative of Vordernberg
, who were primarily interested in the forests of the former abbey's estates. In 1860 the buildings were acquired by a brewer from Graz
(the nunnery had had its own brewer since 1459) and have since then been used as a brewery, the Brauerei Göss.
building containing an early Romanesque
crypt
beneath the choir, some important early Gothic
fresco
es in the chapel of Saint Michael in the Zackenstil or "zigzag style", and an imposing roof. The famous Göss chasuble
(Gösser Ornat), a valuable piece of Romanesque silk embroidery, is now preserved in the Museum für angewandte Kunst
in Vienna
.
Now lost are the former parish church, the graveyard and the buildings formerly to the west of the abbey church. The Brunnhöfl ("fountain courtyard"), still largely extant, is well-known.
A curiosity on display in the premises is a rare specimen of a reusable coffin of 1784 with an opening bottom that deposited the bodies inside into a common grave. A product of Josephine
rationalism, the intention was to save local authorities the expense of coffins in pauper funerals, but it was a deeply unpopular measure and the coffins were withdrawn after only a few months.
Benedictine
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...
nunnery in Göss, now a part of Leoben
Leoben
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center and hosts the University of Leoben which specialises in mining...
in Styria, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. After the abbey's dissolution in 1782 the church, now a parish church, was the seat of the short-lived Bishopric of Leoben.
History
The nunnery was founded in 1004 by Adula or Adela of Leoben, wife of Count Aribo I, and her son, also called Aribo, the future Archbishop of Mainz, on the family's ancestral lands, and was settled by canonesses from Nonnberg AbbeyNonnberg Abbey
Nonnberg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.It was founded ca. 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg and is the oldest women's religious house in the German-speaking world...
in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. The first abbess was Kunigunde, sister of Archbishop Aribo. It was made an Imperial abbey by Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
, in 1020. The Benedictine Rule was introduced in the 12th century.
Göss Abbey functioned for centuries as a centre for the Styrian aristocracy to have their daughters educated and if necessary accommodated, and entry was strictly limited to members of the nobility.
The nunnery, the last remaining Imperial abbey on Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
lands, was dissolved in 1782 in the course of the rationalist reforms of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, and from 1786 served for a short time as the seat of the newly-founded Bishopric of Leoben, of which the former abbey church, dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
, was the cathedral. The first and only bishop died in 1800, and from 1808 the diocese was administered by the Bishops of Seckau until it was formally abolished in 1859. In 1827 the premises were auctioned off and acquired by the wheelwrights' co-operative of Vordernberg
Vordernberg
Vordernberg is a municipality in the district of Leoben in Styria, Austria....
, who were primarily interested in the forests of the former abbey's estates. In 1860 the buildings were acquired by a brewer from Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
(the nunnery had had its own brewer since 1459) and have since then been used as a brewery, the Brauerei Göss.
Buildings and contents
The former abbey church, briefly the cathedral of Leoben, is now used as a parish church. It is a large late GothicGothic 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....
building containing an early Romanesque
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,...
crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
beneath the choir, some important early Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es in the chapel of Saint Michael in the Zackenstil or "zigzag style", and an imposing roof. The famous Göss chasuble
Chasuble
The chasuble is the outermost liturgical vestment worn by clergy for the celebration of the Eucharist in Western-tradition Christian Churches that use full vestments, primarily in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches, as well as in some parts of the United Methodist Church...
(Gösser Ornat), a valuable piece of Romanesque silk embroidery, is now preserved in the Museum für angewandte Kunst
Museum für angewandte Kunst
The Museum of Applied Arts or just MAK, a short version of its German name Museum für angewandte Kunst is located in Frankfurt, Germany and exhibits more than 30,000 objects representing European and Asian decorative arts. The new building of the museum was designed by the American architect...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Now lost are the former parish church, the graveyard and the buildings formerly to the west of the abbey church. The Brunnhöfl ("fountain courtyard"), still largely extant, is well-known.
A curiosity on display in the premises is a rare specimen of a reusable coffin of 1784 with an opening bottom that deposited the bodies inside into a common grave. A product of Josephine
Josephinism
Josephinism is the term used to describe the domestic policies of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor . During the ten years in which Joseph was the sole ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy , he attempted to legislate a series of drastic reforms to remodel Austria in the form of the ideal Enlightened state...
rationalism, the intention was to save local authorities the expense of coffins in pauper funerals, but it was a deeply unpopular measure and the coffins were withdrawn after only a few months.
Abbesses of Göss
- Kunigund I, occurs 1020–1027
- Wilburgis, occurs 1040
- Richardis, occurs 1066
- Margaretha, sometime in the 2nd half of the 11th century
- Hemma, sometime between 1100 and 1146
- Adelheid of Spanheim, 1146–1177
- Ottilie I of Guttenberg, 1188–1203
- Ottilie II, 1203–1230
- Kunigund II, 1239–1269
- Herburgis von Ehrenfels, 1271–1283
- Euphemia, 1283–1298
- Herradis von Breitenfurt, 1298–1322
- Berta von Pux und Prank, 1322–1338
- Diemut, 1340–1349
- Katharina von Strettweg, 1349–1354
- Gertraut von Hannau, 1355–1372
- Katharina von Truthan, 1381–1398
- Aloisia von Herberstorf, 1399–1421
- Gertrud von Helfenberg, 1421–1428
- Anna von Herberstorf, 1428–1463
- Bennigna Grassler, 1470–1474
- Ursula von Silberberg, 1474–1497
- Margaretha von Harbach, 1497–1505
- Veronika von Ratmanstorf, 1505–1514
- Margaretha von Mindorf, 1514–1523
- Barbara von Spangstein, 1523–1543
- Amalia von Leisser, 1543–1566
- Barbara von Liechtenstein, 1566–1573
- Anna von Harrach, 1573–1576
- Florientina von Putterer, 1576–1602
- Regina von Schrattenbach, 1602–1611
- Margaretha von Kuenburg, 1611–1640
- Maria Johanna von Kollonitsch, 1640–1657
- Maria Benedikta von Schrattenbach, 1657–1695
- Katharina Benedikta von Stürgkh, 1695–1706
- Maria Mechthildis von Berchthold, 1706–1737
- Maria Antonia von Überacker, 1737–1751
- Maria Henrica von Poppen, 1751–1779
- Maria Gabriela von Schaffmann, 1779–1782