Ittingen Charterhouse
Encyclopedia
Ittingen Charterhouse is a former Carthusian
monastery near Warth
, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland
. It is now used as an education and seminar centre with two museums and a farm.
. In 1461 the premises were sold to the Carthusians. In 1524, during the Reformation
, the monastery was destroyed in the Ittingersturm, but was rebuilt during the Counter-Reformation
. In 1798 the officials of the Helvetic Republic
forbade the acceptance of novices and declared the monastery's assets the property of the state. Nevertheless the charterhouse survived until 1848, when it was finally dissolved.
Between 1867 and 1977 the estate was the private property of the Fehr family, who ran the former monastery and its land as an agricultural concern for several generations. The entire monastery precinct remained for the most part intact. After 1977 the property was taken over by the charitable foundation Kartause Ittingen and between 1979 and 1983 comprehensively restored.
) and milk from the estate's own cows is used for the production of various cheeses.
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monastery near Warth
Warth-Weiningen
Warth-Weiningen is a municipality in the district of Frauenfeld in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-Geography:Warth-Weiningen has an area, , of . Of this area, or 53.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 28.7% is forested...
, Canton Thurgau, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is now used as an education and seminar centre with two museums and a farm.
History
The monastery was founded in 1150 for the Canons RegularCanons Regular
Canons Regular are members of certain bodies of Canons living in community under the Augustinian Rule , and sharing their property in common...
. In 1461 the premises were sold to the Carthusians. In 1524, during the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, the monastery was destroyed in the Ittingersturm, but was rebuilt during the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
. In 1798 the officials of the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
forbade the acceptance of novices and declared the monastery's assets the property of the state. Nevertheless the charterhouse survived until 1848, when it was finally dissolved.
Between 1867 and 1977 the estate was the private property of the Fehr family, who ran the former monastery and its land as an agricultural concern for several generations. The entire monastery precinct remained for the most part intact. After 1977 the property was taken over by the charitable foundation Kartause Ittingen and between 1979 and 1983 comprehensively restored.
Present day
The buildings now accommodate the art museum of Canton Thurgau, the Ittinger Museum and tecum, an Evangelical meeting and education centre. There is also a residential home here for about 30 people with either mental illnesses or learning difficulties who are employed round the various businesses on the site. In addition, there are two hotels with 67 rooms altogether, and the restaurant Zur Mühle. The agricultural concern is among the biggest in the canton. As well as standard agriculture, grapes and hops are grown and from them wine and beer produced (the beer is brewed by Calanda Bräu in ChurChur
Chur or Coire is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton.-History:The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia....
) and milk from the estate's own cows is used for the production of various cheeses.