Kloster Reichenau

Reichenau Monastery, a Benedictine monastery on the island of Reichenau on Lake Constance, has existed for over 1000 years. It is located in southern Germany, on an important trade route from Italy. The monastery is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due not only to the perfectly preserved ensemble of the oldest monastery north of the Alps, but also to the role it played in the development of Christian art.

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General information

The monastery of Reichenau was founded by St. Pirmin in 724, and the oldest surviving church was consecrated in 816. In the 10th and 11th centuries it had a huge library, and the scriptorium contained the best of the illustrated manuscripts of the time. The monastery enjoyed the patronage of rulers. Emperor Charles III was buried here, and the Benedictines received many important relics, some of which are still kept in the treasury. In addition to St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s, there are several other churches on the island. The Church of St. George is one of the oldest, it was built at the end of the IX century and is interesting for its ancient Ottonian paintings depicting the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, is known for its apse paintings.

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The museum on the island is housed in a building dating from the XII-XV centuries, it is considered to be one of the oldest buildings in Southern Germany, built half in wood. In the past it was home to a monastery courtyard and the town hall.