Scheyern Abbey
Encyclopedia
Scheyern Abbey, formerly also Scheyern Priory (Kloster Scheyern) is a house of the Benedictine Order in Scheyern
in Bavaria
.
by Countess Haziga of Aragon
, wife of Otto II, Count of Scheyern, the ancestors of the Wittelsbach
s. The first monks were from Hirsau Abbey
, of which the new monastery was a priory, founded as it was against the background of the Investiture Controversy
and the Hirsau Reforms. The original site proved unsuitable for a number of reasons, including difficulties with water supply, and the monastery moved in 1087 to Fischbachau
. When that site too proved unsuitable, they moved to Petersberg, in 1104.
When Haziga, the widowed Countess of Scheyern, left Burg Scheyern in 1119 for Burg Wittelsbach
, the castle from which the family subsequently took their name, the old castle, constructed in about 940, was given to the monks at Petersberg and became Scheyern Abbey, independent of Hirsau.
Scheyern was considered a Wittelsbach family monastery, which they used as a place of burial until 1253. The Wittelsbachs also retained the office of Vogt
.
The dedication is to the Holy Cross
and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
: the abbey has had in its possession since 1180 a relic of the Holy Cross from Jerusalem, and is still today a place of pilgrimage for this reason.
By the 13th century the abbey had already gained a reputation for its school of illumination and its scriptorium
.
It suffered particularly severely in the Thirty Years' War
and did not participate afterwards in the Baroque
revival to the same extent as other monasteries in Bavaria. In the 18th century however it was refurbished in the style of the Rococo
.
On 15 November 1802 the monastery came under the governance of the territorial rulers, and on 21 March 1803 was dissolved as part of the secularisation
of Bavaria. The buildings were sold, and changed hands several times in a short period.
the monastery was re-established, and re-settled by monks from Metten Abbey
; in 1843 it regained the status of an abbey. Between 1876 and 1878 the church, now serving both the community and the parish, was restored to the Romanesque
style.
Scheyern now also possesses a Byzantine Institute, specialising in the works of Saint John of Damascus
. It also enjoys historical links with Hungary.
Scheyern Abbey is a member of the Bavarian Congregation
of the Benedictine Confederation
.
a humanist
ic Gymnasium
was opened here. It was replaced however in 1970 by the Schyrengymnasium in Pfaffenhofen
. Once the transfer to the new school was complete, the monastery set up a residential high school for vocational training, the Staatliche Berufsoberschule, a type of school which was considered very experimental at the time. It opened in 1976 and is still in operation.
Scheyern
Scheyern is a municipality in the district of Pfaffenhofen in Bavaria in Germany.The House of Wittelsbach derives from here....
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
First foundation
The monastery at Scheyern was established in 1119 as the final site of the community originally founded in around 1077 at BayrischzellBayrischzell
Bayrischzell is a municipality in the district of Miesbach in Bavaria in Germany....
by Countess Haziga of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, wife of Otto II, Count of Scheyern, the ancestors of the Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
s. The first monks were from Hirsau Abbey
Hirsau Abbey
Hirsau Abbey, formerly known as Hirschau Abbey, was once one of the most prominent Benedictine abbeys of Germany. It was located in the town of Hirsau, in the Diocese of Speyer, near Calw in the present Baden-Württemberg.-History:...
, of which the new monastery was a priory, founded as it was against the background of the Investiture Controversy
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
and the Hirsau Reforms. The original site proved unsuitable for a number of reasons, including difficulties with water supply, and the monastery moved in 1087 to Fischbachau
Fischbachau Priory
Fischbachau Priory was a Benedictine monastery located in Fischbachau, Bavaria, Germany.The monastery was founded in 1087 as a priory of Hirsau Abbey against the background of the Investiture Controversy and the Hirsau Reforms, by the monks who had previously formed the small monastery founded in...
. When that site too proved unsuitable, they moved to Petersberg, in 1104.
When Haziga, the widowed Countess of Scheyern, left Burg Scheyern in 1119 for Burg Wittelsbach
Burg Wittelsbach
Burg Wittelsbach was a castle near Aichach in today's Bavarian Swabia.The castle was first mentioned around the year 1000. In 1119, Count Otto III of Scheyern moved into the castle of Wittelsbach. The castle's name, "Witilinesbac", is however already mentioned as the place of origin of Otto III...
, the castle from which the family subsequently took their name, the old castle, constructed in about 940, was given to the monks at Petersberg and became Scheyern Abbey, independent of Hirsau.
Scheyern was considered a Wittelsbach family monastery, which they used as a place of burial until 1253. The Wittelsbachs also retained the office of Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
.
The dedication is to the Holy Cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Many significant works of art depict the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. They include:* Assumption of the Virgin by Francesco Botticini* Assumption of the Virgin by Titian* Assumption of the Virgin by Antonio da Correggio...
: the abbey has had in its possession since 1180 a relic of the Holy Cross from Jerusalem, and is still today a place of pilgrimage for this reason.
By the 13th century the abbey had already gained a reputation for its school of illumination and its scriptorium
Scriptorium
Scriptorium, literally "a place for writing", is commonly used to refer to a room in medieval European monasteries devoted to the copying of manuscripts by monastic scribes...
.
It suffered particularly severely in 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....
and did not participate afterwards 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...
revival to the same extent as other monasteries in Bavaria. In the 18th century however it was refurbished in the style of the Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
.
On 15 November 1802 the monastery came under the governance of the territorial rulers, and on 21 March 1803 was dissolved as part of the 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....
of Bavaria. The buildings were sold, and changed hands several times in a short period.
Second foundation
In 1838 however under Ludwig I of BavariaLudwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
the monastery was re-established, and re-settled by monks from Metten Abbey
Metten Abbey
Metten Abbey, or St. Michael's Abbey at Metten is a house of the Benedictine Order in Metten near Deggendorf, situated between the fringes of the Bavarian Forest and the valley of the Danube, in Bavaria in Germany.The abbey was founded in 766 by Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch...
; in 1843 it regained the status of an abbey. Between 1876 and 1878 the church, now serving both the community and the parish, was restored to the 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,...
style.
Scheyern now also possesses a Byzantine Institute, specialising in the works of Saint John of Damascus
John of Damascus
Saint John of Damascus was a Syrian monk and priest...
. It also enjoys historical links with Hungary.
Scheyern Abbey is a member of the Bavarian Congregation
Bavarian Congregation
The Bavarian Congregation is a congregation of the Benedictine Confederation consisting of monasteries in Bavaria, Germany.It was founded on 26 August 1684 by the Blessed Pope Innocent XI .-First Congregation:...
of the Benedictine Confederation
Benedictine Confederation
The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict.-Origin:...
.
Schools
Shortly after the re-establishment in 1838, a grammar school was opened. In 1939 all schools run by religious orders were closed, including Scheyern Abbey's. After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
ic Gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
was opened here. It was replaced however in 1970 by the Schyrengymnasium in Pfaffenhofen
Pfaffenhofen
Pfaffenhofen is the name ofin Germany:* Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a town in Bavaria* Pfaffenhofen , in Bavaria* Pfaffenhofen an der Glonn, a municipality in Dachau, Bavaria* a part of the municipality of Altomünster in Dachau, Bavaria...
. Once the transfer to the new school was complete, the monastery set up a residential high school for vocational training, the Staatliche Berufsoberschule, a type of school which was considered very experimental at the time. It opened in 1976 and is still in operation.
Burials
- Otto I of Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria
- Louis I, Duke of BavariaLouis I, Duke of BavariaDuke Louis I of Bavaria was the Duke of Bavaria in 1183 and Count Palatine of the Rhine in 1214. He was a son of Otto I and his wife Agnes of Loon. Louis was married to Ludmilla, a daughter of Duke Frederick of Bohemia.-Biography:Louis extended the duchy of Bavaria and founded many cities...
- Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of BavariaOtto II Wittelsbach, Duke of BavariaOtto II of Bavaria was the Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine . He was a son of Louis I and Ludmilla of Bohemia and a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty.- Biography :...