Wechterswinkel Monastery

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wechterswinkel Monastery

Wechterswinkel Abbey is a former Cistercian - Abbey in Bavaria in the diocese of Wuerzburg . The Wechterswinkel monastery was located in the area of ​​today's municipality of Bastheim . After several interim uses, the building was bought by the district of Rhön-Grabfeld and extensively renovated. Since 2008, a large part of the four-sided complex has housed the district culture center, which is also known under the name "Kloster Wechterswinkel Art and Culture". The Franconian Marienweg leads through Wechterswinkel .

Wechterswinkel

Various forms of name for Wechterswinkel have been handed down from the Middle Ages: uuaheteresuuinkelen (114), wachtereswinkele (1147), wetherswinkel (1150) and wehtereswinkele (1161). The name is made up of the basic word "winkel" and the defining word in the genitive "wechters", which can be determined as the Old High German "wad / hari - waht / hari" (the guard) or "wahta" (the guard). At the same time, this word represented a rare male personal name. The word "winkel" denoted a place that was isolated - possibly by mountains. Together with the defining word "wadhari", a guard post, a fortified building, a larger homestead or even a settlement can have been meant. Something that was referred to with this Old High German term must have already existed there. Since the Old High German is older than the first written mention of the Wechterswinkel monastery around 1143, it can be assumed that the place is older than the monastery. Archaeological excavations in Wechterswinkel have so far only taken place in the area of ​​the monastery, so it is not certain what the settlement looked like. The history of the place Wechterswinkel is above all the history of the former women's monastery Wechterwinkel.

History of the Wechterswinkel Monastery

The exact year of the founding of the Wechterswinkel Monastery is not known, as there is no longer a deed of foundation. Research assumes that it was founded around 1140 by the Würzburg bishop Embricho (1127–1146). It was first mentioned in 1144 through a document from Pope Lucius II, which placed the Wechterswinkel Monastery of St. Margaret under papal protection and confirmed the bishop's bailiff. The document , which is dated March 14, 1144, also mentions an abbess named Buckasta. Addressed to her and her sisters in the document. Literally it says "[he, that is the Pope] ... heeded their requests and took the monastery of St. Margaret under his protection, decreed that the rule of St. Benedict be followed there forever, securing him undisturbed possession of all present and all future goods, as well as the free choice of the abbess, who is to be obedient to the bishop, and prohibits damage to property. The place and everything that belongs to it should have no other bailiff than the bishop. " From the beginning, the monastery was subordinate to the Würzburg bishop, who thus owned the bailiwick and was thus a secular protector . According to the private church law of the German Empire, this form of protectorate belonged to the founder, which is why Bishop Embricho is regarded as the founder of the monastery. A second document confirms the bailiff's rights of the Würzburg bishop: In this letter from Pope Eugene III. to the Abbess Buxta of St. Marien zu Wechterswinkel, however, St. Margaret is no longer named as the patroness of the monastery, but the Mother of God . It is possible that the first-mentioned document with the reference to St. Margaretha refers to a previous building that was west of the Elsbach. This complex included a Margaret Church, which was located at the entrance to a former cloister courtyard. In 2013, after a long period of drought, the ground plan of the Margarethenkirchlein emerged in the grass, so that the previous building could be precisely located. In addition to the Würzburg bishop, King Konrad III is also likely . have been involved in the founding of the Wechterswinkel monastery: A document from Emperor Frederick I of January 31, 1180 proves that King Kontrad III. awarded the monastery four marks of silver annually.

The origin of the founding convention is unknown. In the entire German-speaking area in the first half of the 12th century there was still no women's monastery belonging to a Cistercian congregation that could have sent the sisters to the Wechterswinkel monastery. A calendar, which is bound in a copy book, could have been brought by the first nuns of the monastery and would speak in favor of settling the monastery from France, since it lists saints who are completely atypical for the region of today's Lower Franconia . For example Julian de Brioude , Torpes and Ferreolus von Vienne are mentioned - all these saints were especially venerated in the Archdiocese of Vienne in Burgundy . Possibly Bishop Embricho used his contacts with the abbot of the Ebrach monastery . Abbot Adam von Ebrach had initially been a monk in Citeaux , later in the Morimond monastery and from there sent to the Steigerwald . As abbot he also took part in the annual general chapter in Citeaux. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the first nuns were sent to Wechterswinkel through this contact. It was recently suspected that the Cistercian Abbey of Montreuil-les-Dames sent the first nuns to Wechterswinkel.

Although never formally incorporated into the Cistercian Order , the Abbot of Bildhausen became Pater Immediatus von Wechterswinkel.

The nuns' abbey developed well and was able to found or settle a number of daughter monasteries in the first century of its existence: 1147 Ichtershausen , 1157 St. Theodor zu Bamberg (originally St. Maria and St. Theodor), 1190 St. Johanniszell under Wildberg near Sulzfeld and In 1218 another subsidiary was founded in Hain in the Aschaffenburg district with "St. Maria im Hagen". The latter is known as Schmerlenbach Monastery from 1238 or 1240 . In 1344 and 1490 the Bishop of Würzburg carried out reform measures in Wechterswinkel. In the 16th century, the women's abbey was devastated several times, which brought monastery life to an end in 1574.

After unsuccessful efforts to re-establish the foundation, Pope Clemens VIII in 1592 allowed the Würzburg bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn to temporarily donate the income from the unoccupied women's cisterns to parishes in need. The assets formed the basis of a foundation for the benefit of parishes and schools. The property and the land continued to be administered on site in Wechterswinkel. For this purpose, the Bishop of Würzburg maintained the Wechterswinkel provost's office, which has been rebuilt several times and is well preserved in its classicist state from 1793.

Monastery church of St. Cosmas and Damian

The monastery church , which still shapes the townscape of Wechterswinkel today , was consecrated on July 13, 1179 by the Würzburg bishop Reginhard von Abendberg . The consecration day is also the feast day of the patroness of the monastery - St. Margaratha. The church building was given the patronage of the Holy Mother of God and the Holy Trinity . It is not known when and why there was a change of patronage after the abolition of the monastery.

To church building

It is in the monastery church Wech Planters angle to a three-nave Late Romanesque basilica after aligned East is. The central nave ends with a semicircular apse . Originally the church was about 15 meters longer, so that the end of the choir no longer exists in the original situation. The aisles are just closing; It can be assumed, however, that they originally also had semicircular apses . Due to the shortening of the church by about a third of the length, which was made in 1811, only four bays of what was previously at least six remained. Arched arcades on square pillars open the central nave to the side aisles in the north and south and support the upper aisle . Four arched windows per high wall, each above the apex of the arcades, let daylight into the church; as are the larger windows in the side aisles, which are installed in the same number and orientation. The last yoke in the west of the south aisle was structurally separated and previously used as a sacristy . In the 20th century (around 1930) a new sacristy was added to the eastern end of the north aisle. Excavations inside the church as part of a church renovation in 1986 and 1987 showed that the ground level had increased by 200 cm over the centuries. Four graves were also discovered.

The west facade shows traces of mortar, which indicate that a porch of the main church was connected there. Two roof lines filled with mortar and bricks emerge. The roofs had different angles of inclination, but their apex was at the height of the cornice, which runs below two windows. No more can be said about the appearance of the stem, and it is also unclear when it was broken off. A Romanesque arched portal opens in the middle of the facade. At a certain distance it is flanked by narrow half-columns, each of which supports a cube capital above a bulge. These are simply worked out, but are adorned with cut semicircles. The two half-columns are connected by a cornice, which has a five-step tooth section; A band runs over it, which, like the capitals, shows intersecting semicircles as an ornament. Above the cornice, as an extension of the capitals, there are small obelisks to the right and left, whose classicist design suggests that they did not belong to the original inventory, but were added later. Also striking about the portal situation are three cuboids that are embedded in the wall directly below the cornice: These have been sculptured, all three have a cross. A Greek cross is carved out of the left (northern) cube , the ends of which are widened by small rectangles. It is reminiscent of the shape of a cross , such as the Kaiser-Heinrich-Kreuz . A cross also emerges from the right, southern cuboid, but this time it is a Latin cross , as the crossbars are shorter than the longitudinal bar. There is another small Latin cross under each of the cross arms. On the large main cross of the cuboid, an elevation can also be seen at the intersection of the bars. The middle cuboid is designed figuratively. The crucified one can be seen above a rather Latin cross, which protrudes only a little from the base of the hewn stone. His head is tilted slightly to one side, and his long hair, parted in the middle, falls straight back. A short beard is indicated on the cheeks and chin. He wears a leather handkerchief that reaches to his knees; his feet are side by side. Nail heads can be seen on both palms.

organ

The organ in the church in Wechterswinkel was delivered on August 18, 1625 by the Bamberg organ builder Johann Oltrich. 450 gulden were paid. In 1881 the instrument was rebuilt by the Würzburg organ builder Schlimbach ; probably by Martin Joseph Schlimbach . The organ received another overhaul in the course of an interior renovation in 1987.

Bell tower and chimes

At the western end of the church above the main portal, a bell tower similar to a roof turret was placed. Inside the church it is supported by two narrow square pillars. The tower of the monastery church St. Cosmas and Damian houses a sonorous bell quartet. In 1969 three bells were donated by Gustav Fuchs to ring the bell. These were made by the FW Schilling foundry in Heidelberg and cost DM 16,990.10. The bells all bear a reference to the founder as an inscription: "Donated by Gustav Fuchs, Wechterswinkel 1969". They were consecrated on June 7, 1970 by Pastor August Nadler and Pastor Lorenz Firsching. The fourth bell of the peal comes from the now defunct Margarethenkapelle Wechterswinkel. It bears the inscription: "Herr Propst Kodwitz called Mich Mehren So Thut Er S. Margareth Venerate. 1598. On the largest bell there is a dove with an olive branch in its beak and the word" Friede "can be read. The other two by Gustav Fuchs donated bells are dedicated to St. Mary and St. Joseph .

No. volume Weight (kg) diameter Caster Casting year Consecrated
1 a ' 687 100 cm Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling / Heidelberg 1969 peace
2 c " 397 84 cm Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling / Heidelberg 1969 St. Mary
3 d " unknown unknown unknown 1598 St. Margaret
4th e " 188 66 cm Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling / Heidelberg 1969 St. Joseph

Convent building

Before the church was shortened, the convent building was adjacent to the southern side wall of the nave. Walled-up door and window openings can still be seen on the current front wall of the building. These also show the changed floor level, which was also raised by approx. 1.70 m outside the church. A brick arch on the lower right of the front wall marks the former entrance from the nave to the cloister. Originally the convent building was three-story; this is evidenced by the chipped bearing stones of the former first floor ceiling. These also confirm that the ground level used to be lower.

In 1662 and 1663, the building was given a secular use: The building depth was initially increased by the width of the cloister from 8 m and this was therefore demolished. As a result, the convent building was used as a fruit and grain store until the eighties of the 20th century. The inner skeleton of the storage facility still has a three-row column position on the ground floor and on the first floor. The ceilings rest on square oak columns with saddle wood. Dentrochronological studies show that the oaks were felled in 1662 and 1663. In 1793 the roof structure was renewed and the current window openings were made. Today the former convent building houses the local rifle club as well as the district culture center of the district Rhön-Grabfeld : "Kloster Wechterswinkel art and culture".

Further monastery buildings

In addition to the church and convent building, monastery courtyards also belong to Wechterswinkel; the monastic agriculture was housed there, which ensured the supply of the convent.

literature

  • Franz Bungert: The Wechterswinkel convent. Mellrichstadt 1997.
  • Georg Dehio , Tilmann Breuer: Handbook of German art monuments . Bavaria I: Franconia - The administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia. 2nd, revised and supplemented edition. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich / Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-422-03051-4 , p. 1087.
  • Sandra Maria Yellow: Königsbruck and Wechterswinkel. Two early Cistercian convents in German-speaking countries, two Staufer brothers and the high level of imperial politics. In: Cistercian Chronicle . 125 (3/2018), Verlag der Abtei Mehrerau, Bregenz 2018, ISSN  0379-8291 , pp. 434–472.
  • Bruno Hauck: Wechterswinkel then and now. Mellrichstadt 1989.
  • Johannes Jeager: Monastery experience in the Middle Ages - a cultural image from the heyday of the Cistercians. Wuerzburg 1903.
  • Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel. In: Series of publications by the culture agency of the Rhön-Grabfeld district. Volume 3. Culture Agency District Rhön-Grabfeld, Bad Neustadt an der Saale 2018, ISBN 978-3-942112-31-4 .
  • Wolf-Dieter Raftopoulo: Rhön and Grabfeld culture guides. A complete documentation of the old cultural landscapes in terms of art and cultural history. RMd Verlag, Gerbrunn 2017, ISBN 978-3-9818603-7-5 , pp. 62–63.
  • Erich Schneider : Monasteries and monasteries in Mainfranken. Wuerzburg 1993.
  • Heinrich Wagner: Documents and registers of the Wechterswinkel monastery (UuR). In: Wolfgang Weiß (Ed.): Sources and research on the history of the diocese and bishopric of Würzburg. Volume LXX.
  • Alfred Wendehorst : Wechterswinkel. In: Lexicon for Theology and Church . 2nd Edition. Volume 10. Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1965, Col. 974.

Web links

Commons : Kulturdenkmäler in Wechterswinkel  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Wechterswinkel  - travel guide

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Kulturagentur Rhön-Grabfeld (=  series of publications by the cultural agency of the Rhön-Grabfeld district ). Bad Neustadt ad Saale 2018, ISBN 978-3-942112-31-4 , p. 16 .
  2. ↑ a b c Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. P. 17 .
  3. ^ Regest: Heinrich Wagner 3, UuR, p. 69.
  4. ↑ Heinrich Wagner: Regest uur . S. 71 .
  5. ↑ a b Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 18 .
  6. ↑ a b Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 62 .
  7. ^ Heinrich Wagner: Documents and Regesta of the Wechterswinkel Monastery (UuR) . In: Wolfgang Weiß (Ed.): Sources and research on the history of the diocese and bishopric of Würzburg . tape LXX , S. 100 .
  8. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 23 .
  9. ^ Sandra Maria Gelb: Königsbruck and Wechterswinkel. Two early Cistercian convents in German-speaking countries, two Staufer brothers and the high level of imperial politics . S. 434-472 .
  10. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 27 .
  11. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 28-29 .
  12. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 29 .
  13. ^ NN: Würzburger Katholisches Sonntagsblatt . No. 11 , 2010, p. 14 .
  14. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 77 .
  15. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 63-64 .
  16. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 68-77 .
  17. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 65-67 .
  18. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 66-67 .
  19. ↑ a b Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 100 .
  20. ↑ a b Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 98 .
  21. ↑ Bruno Hauck: Wechterswinkel then and now . Mack, Mellrichstadt 1989, p. 314 .
  22. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 82-83 .
  23. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 84 .
  24. ^ Herbert Odenwald: On the history of Wechterswinkel . Ed .: Culture Agency Rhön-Grabfeld. S. 85.86 .

Coordinates: 50 ° 23 '14.6 "  N , 10 ° 13' 14.9"  E