Waldsassen Abbey Library
The Waldsassen Abbey Library in the Cistercian Abbey is one of the most important libraries in southern Germany in terms of art history .
Construction and meaning
Construction of the library began as early as 1433 under Abbot John VI. Wendel , but it was not until Abbot Eugen Schmid that the library hall was equipped from 1724 to 1726 in the way that around 100,000 visitors can visit it every year today. Ten masterfully carved life-size wooden figures support the gallery of the library with their shoulders . These are supposed to symbolize the different facets of pride , such as stupidity , ridicule , hypocrisy and ignorance . In addition, carved portrait busts of famous figures from ancient times such as Sophocles , Plato , Nero and Socrates adorn the room .
The four large frescoes depict mystical apparitions and scenes from the life of the Cistercian saint Bernhard von Clairvaux . The ten portrait medallions show the great doctors of the church . The vault of the library is covered with magnificent stucco .
The sculptures in the library were created by Karl Stilp , who lived in Waldsassen and had a workshop in Eger ( today: Cheb ), ten kilometers away .
The 14 large and small ceiling paintings were painted by the Bayreuth painter Karl Hofreiter , who, like Stilp, worked in Eger.
The three plasterers Jacopo Appiani , Francesco Chiusa and Paolo Marazzi were responsible for the stucco work .
literature
- Georg Schrott: "The immeasurable treasure of their books". Literature and history in the Cistercian monastery Waldsassen. Lukas, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-936872-04-X .