Ebrach Abbey facts for kids
| Kloster Ebrach | |
Church of Ebrach Abbey
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 Location in Bavaria
Location in Germany
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 12th century |
| Disestablished | 1803 |
| Mother house | Morimond Abbey |
| Dedicated to | Virgin Mary, John the Evangelist, Saint Nicholas |
| Diocese | Würzburg |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Berno |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic, interior mostly Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 1200 |
| Completion date | 1285 |
| Site | |
| Location | Ebrach, Germany |
| Coordinates | 49°50′49″N 10°29′39″E / 49.84694°N 10.49417°E |
| Public access | partial |
Ebrach Abbey (which means Kloster Ebrach in German) is a very old Cistercian monastery. It is located in Ebrach, a town in Bavaria, Germany. Today, part of the old monastery is used as a special school for young people.
Contents
History of Ebrach Abbey
How the Abbey Started
Ebrach Abbey was founded in 1127. It was one of the first Cistercian monasteries in the Franconia region. The abbey was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, John the Evangelist, and Saint Nicholas. A local noble named Berno provided the land for the monastery.
Twelve monks from Morimond Abbey in Burgundy came to live here. Their first leader was Abbot Adam of Ebrach. The first church was finished in 1134. However, a much larger church was built later on.
The monks at Ebrach Abbey were very busy. They grew grapes for wine, managed forests, and raised sheep. Because of their hard work, the monastery became one of the richest in the Franconia area.
Important Burials
Gertrude of Sulzbach, who was the wife of King Konrad III, was buried here. She passed away in 1146.
From the 1200s, there was a special burial tradition for the Bishops of Würzburg. After they died, their hearts were brought to Ebrach Abbey. Their bodies were buried in Würzburg Cathedral. About 30 bishops' hearts were buried at Ebrach. This tradition stopped with Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn in 1617.
Building the Church
The construction of the church you see today began in 1200. Most of it was finished by 1285. The last part to be completed was the front of the main building.
The abbey was officially closed down in 1803. This happened during a time when many church properties in Germany were taken over by the government. After that, the abbey church became the local church for the town.
From Monastery to School
Since 1851, some of the abbey buildings have been used as a prison. Since 1958, it has been a special institution for young people.
What Ebrach Abbey Looks Like
The Church Building
Ebrach Abbey is a great example of early Gothic style. It has three main sections and is shaped like a cross. The outside of the church still looks much like it did originally. However, the inside was changed a lot in the 1700s.
The front of the church, built in the late 1200s, has a Gothic entrance. Statues of Mary and John the Evangelist stand next to it. Above the entrance is a huge rose window, about 7.6 meters wide. It was inspired by a famous window at Notre Dame de Paris.
The inside of the church was updated in the 1700s. This was done in a style called Neoclassical. Artists added fancy decorations and covered the old Gothic ceilings with white and yellow designs. You can see pictures on the walls showing scenes from the life of Jesus.
The altars inside the church were made to look like marble. The statues on them were created by Johann Peter Alexander Wagner. The tall main altar has a large painting from the 1600s. It shows the Assumption of Mary.
The choir area has beautifully carved wooden seats. Above these seats, on both sides, you can see the organ. A fancy iron screen used to separate the choir from the main part of the church. Now, a piece of it is under the organ at the church entrance.
In the southern part of the church, there is a sculpture group showing the Pentecost. This was made in 1696. Statues of the founder, Berno, and the first abbot, Adam, stand nearby.
Some chapels still have older altars. At the back of the main altar, you can find burial monuments. These include monuments for Gertrude and her son Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia. There are also special places where the hearts of the Würzburg bishops were kept.
In the northern part of the church, there is an altar made of sandstone and alabaster. It is dedicated to Bernard of Clairvaux. Next to this altar is the entrance to the Michaeliskapelle. This chapel has three altars from 1207. It is one of the oldest parts of the church.
Other Abbey Buildings
The other abbey buildings were built in the late 1600s and early 1700s. They are arranged around several courtyards. Famous architects like Leonhard Dientzenhofer and Balthasar Neumann helped design these buildings. The main entrance has a grand staircase with statues. Inside, some rooms have beautiful ceiling paintings and stucco decorations.
The Abbey Park
The abbey's parks were changed a lot in the 1800s. You can see a large fountain there, showing Heracles and Antaeus. A guard tower in the park was also designed by Balthasar Neumann. There are also other old buildings and a terrace in the park. One of the old gates, the Bamberger Tor, still stands today.
Ebrach Abbey Today
You can visit a museum and some parts of the abbey buildings. These visits are usually part of guided tours of the prison area. The church itself is open to everyone. During the summer, concerts are held in the abbey's grand Imperial Hall and in the church.
Gallery
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The rose window seen from the outside.
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A close-up of the ceiling vault where the church sections meet.
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An angel figure statue inside the church.
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The decorated ceiling of the main nave.
