Michaelbeuern Abbey
The Benedictine Michaelbeuern is a company founded in the 8th century monastery in today Dorfbeuern in Salzburg in Austria, about 30 kilometers north of the city of Salzburg.
Foundation and History Michaelbeuerns
Already at the time of the Salzburg Abtbischofs Flobrigis existed here for 736 a monk's cell, the 817 is referred to as " Buria " in Aachen monastery directory. After the interruption of the monastic life and work by the Hungarian wars began with 977 of the goods donated by Emperor Otto II reconstruction. Under Count Palatine Hartwig I. it came to Neustiftung the abbey, whose renovation in the high Middle Ages operated the most important families of the country. After the splendid Romanesque pillar basilica Neuweihe on July 18, 1072 by the Patriarch of Aquileia Sighard and Archbishop Gebhard of Salzburg Michaelbeuern was a noble double monastery, which is but extinguished soon.
Werigand is the first known abbot of the monastery. His reign is dated from 1072 to 1100. Under Abbot Walther (1161-1190) experienced Michaelbeuern a flower; he acquired the eponymous giant Bible, which was written around 1140. Increasingly now took the monks to pastoral ministry in the surrounding communities, as well as in Attersee am Attersee, in Obersulz and in the 18th district of Vienna, where part of the district Michelbeuern is named after the monastery on the belt today. In the 13th century can be a convent school source moderately prove that even trained singers boys later.
Times of crisis, caused by natural disasters such as the fire in 1364, by mismanagement in the benefice award and by the impact of the Reformation, when the Convention included only three monks were only briefly interrupted by phases of recovery as on the implementation of the Melk Monastery reform under Abbot Georg (1440-1472) followed.
It was not until the 17th century began a long-term consolidation Michaelbeuerns, which was reflected in spirituality, far-reaching Seelsorgs and educational tasks and in extensive construction activities. At the twenty-five monks lectured at Benedictine University of Salzburg.
Important artists of the time, the sculptor Meinrad Guggenbichler and the painter Johann Michael Rottmayr, created the well-known far and wide high altar in the Baroque style church. Under Abbot Anton Moser convention floor and library were rebuilt, the Abbey hall frescoed in 1771 by Franz Nikolaus strings. 1835 the monastery, the former Augustinian Hermits monastery in Salzburg- Mülln was transferred, which the monks took over pastoral duties in the present-day city parishes Mülln and until September 2008 Maxglan.
During the time of National Socialism, school and church, the monks were closed, sold. Soon after the Second World War, the monastic life was restarted, 1950 was the collegiate church reromanisierte be rededicated.
Under the current abbot Johannes Perkmann the contemporary renewal of the monastery continues. Visible expression of this is inter alia the renovation and revitalization of the whole former economics tract of the monastery as a school and training center and the restoration of the church with the establishment of the Eisenbarth organ.
Current tasks
The monks of Michaelbeuern attempt by the leadership of a school and a boarding school to give young people help in a holistic personality development. The retreat and education center will give people looking for silence, reflection and religious depression in retreats, days of recollection, monastery on time and in training of parish employees Benedictine spirituality.
In addition, monks are active as Parish Priest in four parishes in the city and province of Salzburg and Upper Austria ( Perwang, Salzburg Mülln, Lamprechtshausen and the pin parish Dorfbeuern ). The parish Salzburg - Maxglan was delivered by September 2008 at the Archdiocese of Salzburg.
As a culture preserver sought the Abbey, make her care for centuries church cultural assets accessible not only in a museum environment, but they incorporated into their sacred surroundings and lively function experience to make.
As each Benedictine monastery are connected Michaelbeuern farms. The monastery operates a farm, a biogas plant and a district heating plant, which supplies the monastery and some households of the village. Similarly, the monastery since the 19th century a 50 percent stake in the Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln. Compared to the Abbey is the Stiftskellnerei, a restaurant that is housed in a former farm buildings of the monastery and was leased by them.
Abbey Church
Altarpiece by Michael Rottmayr
Archangel Gabriel of Meinrad Guggenbichler
Grave slab of Abbot Ulrich Hofbauer in the former Äbtegruft, today the vestibule of the church