Ursberg Abbey
Encyclopedia
Ursberg Abbey is a former Premonstratensian
monastery, now a convent of the Franciscan
St. Joseph's Congregation, situated in the small village of Ursberg in the district of Günzburg
, Bavaria
.
, was founded between 1126 and 1128 by the nobleman Wernher of Schwabegg-Balzhausen. It was the first Premonstratensian foundation in southern Germany. The monastery became an Imperial abbey (Reichsstift) in 1143.
As was usual with early Premonstratensian foundations, this was originally a double monastery, with a separate nunnery, which lasted until at least 1320 or so. Ursberg was very active in its early years in settling other Premonstratensian houses. This was largely due to the energetic prior Grimo, who was later declared Blessed. In 1128 Osterhofen
near Passau
was established, followed in about 1130 by Roggenburg Abbey
and in 1135 by Kaisheim Abbey
. In 1140 Premonstratensians from Ursberg took over Schäftlarn Abbey
and in 1142 Bishop Otto of Freising
used them for the foundation of Neustift
.
The church was built in about 1230. Originally a Romanesque
structure, it was refurbished in the Baroque
style by the master builder of Wettenhausen Abbey
, Josef Dossenberger the younger. The ceiling frescoes by Jakob Fröschle and Konrad Huber also stem from this period.
The Romanesque cross with the attendant figures of the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist is of especial note. The high altar is by J. Pflaum. The organ was built by Johann Nepomuk Holzhey.
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 in the course of the secularisation
of Bavaria. The church became the parish church, and the priest's house and the regional court (Landgericht) of Krumbach
were accommodated in the former monastic premises. In 1884 Father Dominikus Ringeisen managed to acquire the buildings, which were by then empty, where he set up a community of sisters for the care of the physically and mentally handicapped, now known as the
Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk. This endeavour developed into the St. Joseph's Congregation of Ursberg, a Franciscan community of about 270 sisters. In Ursberg, along with branches in Maria Bildhausen, the former Holzen Abbey, Pfaffenhausen and Breitbrunn am Ammersee, about 2,500 handicapped people are provided with accommodation and work, care and home.
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
monastery, now a convent of the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
St. Joseph's Congregation, situated in the small village of Ursberg in the district of Günzburg
Günzburg (district)
Günzburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Dillingen, Augsburg, Unterallgäu and Neu-Ulm, and by the state of Baden-Württemberg ....
, 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...
.
History
The monastery, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint John the EvangelistJohn the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
, was founded between 1126 and 1128 by the nobleman Wernher of Schwabegg-Balzhausen. It was the first Premonstratensian foundation in southern Germany. The monastery became an Imperial abbey (Reichsstift) in 1143.
As was usual with early Premonstratensian foundations, this was originally a double monastery, with a separate nunnery, which lasted until at least 1320 or so. Ursberg was very active in its early years in settling other Premonstratensian houses. This was largely due to the energetic prior Grimo, who was later declared Blessed. In 1128 Osterhofen
Osterhofen
Osterhofen is a town in the district of Deggendorf, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube, 16 km south of Deggendorf.Osterhofen Basilica:,...
near Passau
Passau
Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is also known as the Dreiflüssestadt or "City of Three Rivers," because the Danube is joined at Passau by the Inn from the south and the Ilz from the north....
was established, followed in about 1130 by Roggenburg Abbey
Roggenburg Abbey
Roggenburg Abbey is a Premonstratensian canonry in Roggenburg near Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, in operation between 1126 and 1802, and again from its re-foundation in 1986. Since 1992 it has been an independent priory of Windberg Abbey in Lower Bavaria...
and in 1135 by Kaisheim Abbey
Kaisheim Abbey
Kaisheim Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Kaisheim, Bavaria, Germany.- History :It was founded by Henry II, Count of Lechsgemünd and his wife Liutgard, and was a daughter house of Lucelle Abbey in Alsace. Count Henry's initial gift of the land was made in 1133; the foundation charter was dated...
. In 1140 Premonstratensians from Ursberg took over Schäftlarn Abbey
Schäftlarn Abbey
Schäftlarn Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on the Isar in Schäftlarn, south of Munich in Bavaria, Germany.-History:The monastery was founded in 762 by Waltrich, a Benedictine monk of noble family, on his own land...
and in 1142 Bishop Otto of Freising
Otto of Freising
Otto von Freising was a German bishop and chronicler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Leopold III, margrave of Austria, by his wife Agnes, daughter of the emperor Henry IV...
used them for the foundation of Neustift
Neustift
Neustift may refer to the following places in Austria:* Neustift im Stubaital, in Tyrol* Maria Neustift, in Upper Austria* Neustift im Mühlkreis, in Upper Austria* Neustift an der Lafnitz, in Burgenland* Neustift bei Güssing, in Burgenland...
.
The church was built in about 1230. Originally a 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,...
structure, it was refurbished in the Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
style by the master builder of Wettenhausen Abbey
Wettenhausen Abbey
Wettenhausen Abbey was formerly a monastery of the Augustinian Canons; today it is a Dominican convent. The abbey is in Wettenhausen in the municipality of Kammeltal in Bavaria.-Augustinians:...
, Josef Dossenberger the younger. The ceiling frescoes by Jakob Fröschle and Konrad Huber also stem from this period.
The Romanesque cross with the attendant figures of the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist is of especial note. The high altar is by J. Pflaum. The organ was built by Johann Nepomuk Holzhey.
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 in the course 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 church became the parish church, and the priest's house and the regional court (Landgericht) of Krumbach
Krumbach (Swabia)
Krumbach is a town with about 12.500 residents in the district Günzburg in the Bavarian administrative region Swabia, Germany...
were accommodated in the former monastic premises. In 1884 Father Dominikus Ringeisen managed to acquire the buildings, which were by then empty, where he set up a community of sisters for the care of the physically and mentally handicapped, now known as the
Dominikus-Ringeisen-Werk. This endeavour developed into the St. Joseph's Congregation of Ursberg, a Franciscan community of about 270 sisters. In Ursberg, along with branches in Maria Bildhausen, the former Holzen Abbey, Pfaffenhausen and Breitbrunn am Ammersee, about 2,500 handicapped people are provided with accommodation and work, care and home.