Wilhering Abbey
Daughter monasteries
Engelszell ( 1293 ), Vyšší Brod Monastery ( 1259 ), pen Säusenstein ( 1336 )
The Wilhering is a Cistercian monastery in Wilhering in Upper Austria.
History
1146 saw the establishment of the pen by the Lords of Wilhering. When, after not even 40 years threatened the end of the monastery, the meeting in Citeaux General Chapter of the Cistercian Wilhering decided once again to settle on from the monastery Ebrach near Würzburg. 1185 took over this the pen and began under Abbot Otto II of Niest ( 1193-1201 ) in the year 1195 with the construction of a church, which was rebuilt several times in later centuries. Under Abbot Conrad III. (1288 - 1308) was the founding in 1293 of the pin Engelszell. During the Reformation the Protestant become Abbot Erasmus Mayer fled after only nine months in office in 1544, including the Monastery Checkout to Nuremberg. 1544-1545 the Governor Balthasar Presing managed by the pen. The monastery was entirely abandoned by 1583. As part of the Counter-Reformation, a native of Lugano Benedictine monk Alexander was a Lacu Abt 1587 in Wilhering and took the reformation of monastic life with success. The monastery was almost completely destroyed in 1733 by fire, but rebuilt magnificently again in the subsequent period under Abbot John IV Baptist Hinterhölzl. Under the pressure of reforms of Emperor Joseph II, the pin Wilhering parish was founded in 1784. 1895 Stiftsgymnasium was founded. In 1940 it came under the Nazi regime for the expropriation of the monastery, Abbot Bernhard Burgstaller died in 1941 in prison. The monks returned after the war to Wilhering. The construction of the west wing of the school was carried out in 1955.
Abbey Library
The Abbey Library has a historical book collection ( to 1900 ) of around 40,000 volumes. 20,000 volumes date from the 20th century. In addition there are 150 medieval manuscripts and incunabula 220.
Collegiate Church
After the fire in 1733 the collegiate church was rebuilt according to the plans of the master builder Johann Haslinger. It is one of the most important buildings of the Rococo in the German language area. The interior of the Collegiate Church, the " most outstanding religious space of the Rococo in Austria " is regarded as the equipment was probably according to the overall plan of Martino Altomonte, from which also the high altar dates. Ceiling paintings and altarpieces come from Bartolomäo and Martino Altomonte, the colorful plastic stucco and sculptures by the masters Wessobrunner Johann Michael and Johann Georg Feichtmayr Üblhör.
Wilhering pin today
Today, a Romanesque portal, part of the Gothic cloister and two precious tombs have been preserved from the early days still. The Stiftsgymnasium is currently attended by approximately 500 students. The monastic community today has 30 members.