Barfüsserkloster

The Franciscan mendicant was a convent of Franciscan Barfüsser or in the city of Zurich and belonged to the diocese of Constance. It can be proven since 1247/48 and was repealed in 1524.

• 7.1 tracery arcades

• 8.1 Printing Froschauer
• 8.2 Chairman Office

• 9.1 Casino
• 9.2 firm
• 9.3 Supreme Court
• 9.4 20th century

Location

The Franciscan mendicant was on the southeastern edge of the old town just behind the city walls near the Neumarkt or crown gate at the end of the Neumarkt and the Linde gate at the output of the Kirchgasse. In the east, the area was bounded by the city walls and the deer ditch. In the northwest through the houses on the Neumarkt and the Southwest through the alley of the Lower fences The orientation of the building from southeast to northwest may have been determined by the course of the Wolf creek.

History

Foundation

About the founding of the Barfüsserklosters are no written sources. In the chronicle of Johannes Stumpf states: " Disen Munchen of Barfoterordens was in the governor Zürych a closter gebauen through the burger, the I but no jarzahl find, but it is in 1240 already in wirden stood. " And Heinrich Bullinger writes: " the Franciscan mendicant has been Nitt unlang angehept and Buwen after the preacher monastery around 1240, by Hilff the burgers and the Bätgelds. " These figures are indicative of a foundation to 1238, which was probably initiated from Constance.

Relations with the nobility

The question of the donor stem remains open in view of the thin source location. As founder rather several nobles are presumed as an individual. The Zurich Barfüsser were in close relationship with the nobility from the environment such as the Counts of Kyburg and acted as their witnesses or even Siegler. Even the rain salvors were relations, but was buried in the church of Barfüsserklosters Ulrich I of rain Berg ( 1230-1281 ). However, the nature of this relationship is not known.

Also among the leading families and influential politicians of Zurich were good contacts. Were among the keepers of the monastery, among others Jacob ( 1247 ) and Rudolf Mülner ( 1287 ), Heinrich Bilgeri ( 1324 ) and mayor Rudolf Brun ( 1349 ).

Venue of meetings

The monastery was several times the scene of meetings of national importance. 1310 uncertificated King Henry VII in the presence of many bishops and nobles, and in 1336 was summoned here the Brun's guild constitution after the overthrow and Brun elected mayor. Also offered the monastery space for public meetings and consultation of legal transactions of citizens.

Politically were the Barfüsser on the part of the people and presented within the urban policy a certain power factor dar. Also from 1350, after the decline in the importance of Barfüsser remained good relationship with the city exist. The monastery was still taken for meetings to complete.

Organization

About the organization of the monastery are only sparse sources. Upper Monastery was the Guardian, the Guardian was a Deputy to the side. Editors exercised the office of a teacher. To this end, several religious people came for the operation and administration of the monastery's possessions.

Burials

For a cemetery in the Franciscan mendicant are no sources, such is mentioned only in the late Middle Ages. In the first grave laying it is likely to be that of Ulrich von Regenberg of 1281st around 1300 Barfüsser took longer meet the more foundations for burials even for laymen. From the first half of the 14th century, several of which have survived, so donated in 1416 Anna Gloggnerin 23 pounds to the Convention and asked to be buried here in 1450 and bought knight Godfrey Escher a grave lay before the altar; his two sons, John and Henry, and his grandson Jacob († 1524) were buried here.

The cemetery was located on the western corner of the church, in 1936 several burials were discovered there. After the Reformation, the cemetery was transformed into the space. A 1484 mentioned ossuary was on the north west corner of the nave.

Wife pastoral

By 1300, the Convention began to buy in the area of the monastery houses and therein to accommodate single women. In this way arose between the Upper and Lower fences Begin a district. The women came mostly from land lower classes. In addition, the Zurich Convention exercised supervision over religious community outside the city walls, including the monastery Wyden in the reign Rapperswil - the resolution of the so-called Wydenklösterlis was confirmed on 21 December 1521 by brother Jörg Honer called the Kustors.

Donations and Gifts

During the 13th century, the donations and foundations increased rapidly. The earliest document dates from the year 1273: Heinrich Kiseling presented the monastery with a house on the Barfüsser paddock. In the 14th century, the convent began to increasingly acquire land, we acquired, for example, in 1353 at Neumarkt a house of Rudolf Brun. In the 15th century there was a considerable expansion of goods, property and estates. The area the largest share of the monastic estates represented the vineyards; the entire area of ​​up Hoengg reaching Zollikon plots should have been about 50,000 m². From this, the yield calculated: therefore must in 1513 each of a maximum of six monks, a wine consumption of 2.3 liters per day have been available.

Reformation

As the preacher and the Augustinian seem Barfüsser to have been no fundamental opponent of the Reformation, however, were set against Zwingli. On April 12, 1523 after Snack, once again gathered in the church 40 men. For further course of events or to the annulment of the monastery are no reports. On December 3, after the dissolution of the monasteries in Zurich, the leftover Augustinian monks and preachers came into the longitudinal tract of Barfüsserklosters and received a pension. At the same time the monastery was given a new nurse.

On the 14th of corn in 1526, the Council decided to cancel the seven altars of Barfüsserkirche. The main altar came into Grossmünsterplatz, where it was used to build the new Kanzellettners. The choir was spent in 1527 with the bases of the other monasteries repealed Zurich to St. Peter.

Church

Was built the church in the middle of the 13th century. She was a flat-roofed three-aisled basilica, connected north it was a rectangular choir with a flat wooden ceiling. What is striking is the combination of great length, narrow spacing of the nave arcades and low height.

The outlines of the eastern choir wall feature at the rear wing of the Supreme Court building today from clear. Was the main entrance, as shown on the Murerplan seen on the southwest side opposite the cemetery. The three ships were separated from each other by thick square pillars. The arc runs were gequadert, plastered masonry. The sacristy joined to the eastern wall of the choir.

Floor plan of the church with pillars in the middle line to support the later built the false floor, about 1833

Church of the southwest, engraving by Franz Hegi 1833

Choir 1835

Monastery

Parallel to the church, but on the other side of Wolf creek, was the main building, a massive rectangular tract, in which, among other things, the refectory was housed. In the middle of a cross- section connected him with the Church. In the traverse of the north-western part of the cloister was integrated. Northwest of the cross passage was the outer court, which was drained by Wolf creek.

Longitudinal tract

The longitudinal tract consisted of two brick floors, above a lower floor was made ​​of wood. It houses were the summer refectory, which was used by the City for receptions, and the chambers of the monks. The kitchen was probably in an extension on the side opposite the city wall. In the 19th century the terrain against the Hirschgraben by five meters was filled, the ground floor was the basement. It is conceivable that the foundations of the kitchen cultivation are still in this population. In the former ground floor should have been housed a smaller refectory.

Cross section

The cross- section consisted of two parts that are still recognizable today. The shorter part of wood joined to the longitudinal tract to, bridged the wolf creek and joined the convent house with the northwestern part of the cloister. Today is housed therein in the stairwell.

On the right, adjoining the church part, today belonging to the Supreme Court, seven arched windows are still preserved. In the basement remains of the monastery of time building have been preserved, including on the narrow side to the creek a walled- Romanesque window.

Cloister

Cloister nw

East corner

Southern corner

The cloister still preserved, situated on a terrace, which had been erected against the wolf creek about 4 to 5 m. Whether the 1259 mentioned cloister was in the same place, is unclear. As can be seen on the Murerplan, the northeastern part was not connected to other buildings, but was free. The cloister dating from the late Middle Ages possessed a square base and on each side of 16 two-piece pointed arch windows with tracery, a total of 64

Tracery arcades

During the construction of the High Court 1837 all sixteen arches of the north-western wing and seven of the northeast wing were broken off, they came as a gift to the Antiquarian Society. Six or eight of them were 1852/54 installed in the lodge building on the Lindenhof.

After the fire in the theater in 1890 twelve arcades were demolished, nine of which were spent as a row of windows in room 25 in the National Museum. 1858/59, four copies in the northeast wing and installed probably another four in the north-west wing. In 1960, a further eight arcades built in copies in the north-west wing and restored the original four.

Convent building

Printing Froschauer

1527 allowed the Council that the printer Christoph Froschauer could set up his printing press in the premises of the former Barfüsserklosters; A rental agreement was signed on August 24, 1528 and 1546 extended for three years, in view sin gwerb, the city vil lob meaner and rum brought. 1551 acquired Froschauer the former building of the monastery of St. Verena at Froschaugasse and turned his print shop there.

Chairman Office

Location and function of the building, based on the Mueller plan

The Chairman Office, drawing by Paul Burkhard

The Chairman Office at 1704 presentation by Hans Heinrich Bluntschli

The Chairman Office was created in 1533 after the dissolution of the monasteries and managed the surpluses of the eleven new monasteries offices, which consisted mainly in grain and wine. After the exodus of Froschauer from the monastery premises in 1551, the rooms were occupied by the president office. Grain bins and trotting had already been set in the monastery church since 1535. 1553 and 1554 more grain bins and rooms for the storage of drums were in church and the western cloister established in longitudinal tract against the Hirschgraben multiple living and working spaces have been set up in 1555 a " Badstübli ". The southwestern Long choir was provided with a staircase.

1700/ 01 three more floors were in the church fed, newly covered the roof and canceled the sacristy. It was replaced by a new building, which was later converted into a casino. In 1710, the hall in the longitudinal tract was renewed, the largest payments went to the painter Johann Melchior Füssli which installed various coats of arms and theological sayings. 1793 the house was covered with a new roof. From the Reformation to 1833, the church thus served as a municipal granary. Remained until now the monastery building itself still recognizable, brought the renovations and new buildings of the 19th century, fundamental changes.

19th century

Casino

1806 acquired the Assemblee Society from the State a part of the building of the former Barfüsserklosters, the " rut basement " north-east of the old cloister. According to the plans of Hans Caspar Escher, a new building in a strictly neo-classical style was built for 40,000 francs, which was considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. In 1874 the city bought back the casino and built it in the following years for the redevelopment of the Superior Court as to. After the conversion from 1874 to 1876 only outer walls of the wings remained. The rooms of the casino - a large concert hall, a small ballroom, a foyer and two small salons - were used by different groups.

Etching by Franz Hegi, 1814

Drawing by Franz Schmid, 1839

Office

As of 1812 rooms for the Federal Chancellery and the chairman were in longitudinal tract in the former summer refectory decorated, the kitchen extension was demolished and relocated the access to the Hirsch grave side.

A further engaging reconstruction was 1824/25 the big Convention Hall for victims. In addition, the facade was redesigned after plans of Hans Conrad Stadler and filled the area on the page to Hirschgraben by several meters, so that the existing ground floor to basement was. The reconstruction of the north-western part was made in 1833.

Supreme Court

Since most rooms were vacated by the cancellation of the Chairman Office 1833, the Government approved a construction and conversion of lying against the Neumarkt part for receiving " government colleges ." These tags lasted until 1840. It also growing about the wolf creek was demolished, the creek partially covered and painted over painted by Melchior Füssli escutcheons. In the new building in 1835 moved the Supreme Court Registry. 1839, the building was one floor and 1839 /40 of longitudinal tract is also increased and converted to a basement.

The shorter, subsequent to the office part of the house of the former connecting tract between the theater in the former church and the longitudinal tract was only rebuilt and given a new facade. The longer part was completely demolished in 1837 according to the plans and under the direction of Ferdinand Stadler and rebuilt. Get remained the basement and the partition wall to the staircase in the shorter part. In contrast to the original construction of the new wing cross was not enough to the theater building, this was widened to the width of the short tract. For this, the whole Northwest, and half the East wing of the cloister were canceled. The new building in 1837 relative to 1967 increased by a bullet.

After the introduction of the jury court within the cross tract was remodeled and divided the spaces differently.

1874-1876 the former Casino was transformed into a cantonal top and Circuit Court building; from the elegant construction Escher remained only the two wings with the arched windows are made, which were built over a first floor. Instead of the columned portico, a massive three-storey middle section was created in 1880 in the longitudinal tract. Of the original inside tracks are only preserved, such as the railing in the stairwell of the middle tract. The last old furniture from the jury room was 1970/71 away.

20th century

1936, the northeast wing of the cloister was increased by a bullet. The building of the State winery has been extended into the area of the former nave. In this work, the remains of foundations of churches and theaters was (see next chapter ) is eliminated. Below the level of the cloister two human skeletons were found.

In the gap between the old church and the condensed cross- section, the early classical Hofportal from the estate of St. Urban was used at the Stadelhoferstrasse 23 instead of the previous sheet metal door. 1984, the gap between the longitudinal tract and the northeast wing of the cloister was closed with a one-story library wing.

The stock theater

The desire to own a theater in the city resulted in the October 1830 establishing a theater company, the Governing Council requested the provision of a suitable building in 1832. To finance the " Actiengesellschaft for a theater and museum building in Zurich " was founded, the share issue was published in December 1832. President was Lieutenant Colonel Karl Georg Bürkli, a member of the Grand Council, who later himself flute, double bass and timpani played in the orchestra. On 17 November1832, the club auctioned the former church of Barfüsserklosters, the purchase agreement was signed in January 1833. 1834 was the conversion of the building, designed by Louis Pfyffer of Wyher, where an increase was not permitted.

The former Vorchorbereich and the front part of the ship served as a stage, the middle third was extended to a semi-circular auditorium with rising seats. In the back of the foyer and was in the back aisles were dressing rooms and adjoining rooms. Along the ship walls rose perpendicularly on one over the other four galleries. The conversion could be completed in 1834 and the theater with its 800 seats was inaugurated on November 10.

First director was Charlotte Birch - Pfeiffer, who headed the theater until 1843. In stock theater conducted 1852-1855, who lives in exile in Zurich Richard Wagner several performances of his operas The Flying Dutchman and Tannhäuser. Until 1855, the theater was lit by candles, then a chandelier with 60 gas lamps was purchased. Recently replaced the candles to the orchestra musicians.

Floor plan of the theater share

Well, today at the church preacher. The right the entrance to the theater

The fire

In the New Year's Eve 1890, the building burned down. The fire broke out before 21.30 clock in a wooden container in the loft from even before the performance was over. The fire department was able only to protect the surrounding buildings, from the theater, practically nothing could be saved. People did not come to harm.

Fire ruins, view from east

In March 1890, looking north

Entrance area, January 7, 1890

The demolition work dragged on into spring 1890. At the site of the former church choir the State winery was built later. The State winery was founded in 1862 by a decision of the Governing Council and signed by the then State writer Gottfried Keller. In 2002, the winery was lifted, the rooms are used by the Supreme Court. The rest of the site is vacant and is used as a parking lot.

On January 18, 1890, the General Assembly of the theater - stock company decided to build a new theater near the present Sechseläutenplatz. The theater was opened on September 30, 1891 and 1961 renamed Opera House.

New excavations

Since 2007, south-west of the cloister beneath the former choir excavations were carried out. Results are currently no product.