Moutier-Grandval Monastery

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Ruin of the monastery around 1830

The Moutier-Grandval Monastery (German: Münster-Granfelden ) is a former Benedictine abbey in Moutier in the Bernese Jura , Switzerland .

Around 630 some messengers from Columban penetrated into the wilderness of the Grand Val , settled here and started clearing the area. The founding of the monastery called Monasterium in Grandis vallis fell in the period around 640. The first abbot presided St. Germanus of Trier, who helped the monastery quickly to regional prominence and 675 along with his companions Randoald the martyr died. In the beginning, the monks lived according to the rules of St. Columban, from the 9th century the Benedictine rule was introduced. An important work from this period is the richly illustrated Bible by Moutier-Grandval , which was written in the Marmoutier monastery near Tours and then donated to the abbey. Today it belongs to the British Library in London .

In 968 the monastery came to King Conrad of Burgundy . Because his son, King Rudolf III. believed in the end of the world in the year 1000, he bequeathed the abbey with the associated property in 999 to the bishopric of Basel. This donation probably served as the basis for the expansion of power in the Principality of Basel . While the bishops of Basel tried to extend their influence over the territory of the Moutier-Grandval Abbey, their rights were not recognized by either the abbey or the Chapter during the 11th century. In 1079 the monastery was converted into a canon monastery.

During the Middle Ages , the monastery experienced a great heyday, was an important religious center and had a similarly far-reaching importance as the monastery of St. Gallen . In a document in 1179 , Pope Alexander II laid down the independence and privileges of the monastery. It was not until 1210, the bishop gained from Basel domination of the provost ( Prévôté ) Moutier, the legal authority remains with the Governor remained and at the Chapter. When the Reformation was introduced in 1533 , the chapter moved to Solothurn and in 1534 to Delsberg . It remained there until 1793.

From the 16th century to 1797, the Moutier-Grandval provost included the valley of Moutier (Grand Val), the Petit Val and the Vallée de Tavannes as well as smaller areas in the southern and eastern part of the Delsberg basin.

During emergency archaeological excavations in 2008 and 2012 in Rue Centrale in front of houses 57 and 59 as well as in the cellar of 57 (former Hôtel du Cerf), remains of the monastery from the 7th to 10th centuries were found. The first buildings date from the last quarter of the 7th century. The monastery was expanded between the middle of the 8th and the end of the 9th century. In the 10th century it was reduced in size, but also renovated. Around the year 1000 (between 970 and 1050) the monastery buildings were destroyed.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lara Tremblay: Chronology archéologique de l'abbaye de Moutier-Grandval: une histoire de sources . In: Archéologie bernoise: annuaire du Service archéologique du canton de Berne . tape 2013 , p. 135–157 , doi : 10.5169 / seals-726684 .

Coordinates: 47 ° 16 '50 "  N , 7 ° 22' 19.2"  E ; CH1903:  594 960  /  236630