Oberalteich Abbey (german: Abtei Oberalteich or ''Kloster Oberalteich''; sometimes ''Oberaltaich'') was a
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monastery in
Bogen,
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, Germany.
History
The monastery, dedicated to Saints
Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
and
Paul
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
, was founded in c. 1100 by Count Frederick of Bogen, a ''
Vogt
During the Middle Ages, an (sometimes given as modern English: advocate; German: ; French: ) was an office-holder who was legally delegated to perform some of the secular responsibilities of a major feudal lord, or for an institution such as ...
'' of
Regensburg Cathedral. After a serious fire in 1245 the premises were re-constructed under abbots Heimo (1247 to 1252) and Purchard (1256 to 1260). Under abbot Friedrich II (1346 to 1358) the abbey was fortified. The church was extensively altered in the time of abbot Johann II Asperger (1438 to 1463). The mediaeval monastery complex was modernised by abbot Veit Höser (1604 to 1634), which was followed by a total
Baroque refurbishment under abbots Roman Denis (1682 to 1695), Benedikt Resch (1695 to 1704) and Ignatz Scherlin (1704 to 1721).
[ Klöster in Bayern: Oberalteich, Benediktinerkloster St. Peter und Paul – Bildung und Wissenschaft auf höchstem Niveau](_blank)
/ref>[Hans Neueder: Oberaltaich: Ein bayerisches Benediktinerkloster mit großer Geschichte. Pustet Verlag, Regensburg 2012, ]
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 during the secularisation
In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...
of Bavaria, and the monastery buildings were disposed of. Accommodation for the local priest and a servant were set up in part of them.
Church
The abbey church of Saints Peter and Paul was rebuilt between 1622 and 1630 and is richly decorated. The Baroque high altar dates from 1693. The church of the former abbey became the parish church in 1803. In 1847 the tombs and monuments were removed from the church and taken to Vilshofen
Vilshofen an der Donau is a town in the German district of Passau.
Demographics
Religion
The population of Vilshofen is predominantly Christian. In Vilshofen there is a Catholic Church, a Protestant Church and a new Apostolic Church. 78.3 ...
where they were used for the construction of a dam.
References
Further reading
*''Die Kunstdenkmäler von Niederbayern, Bd. XX: Bezirksamt Bogen'', München 1929, p. 225
*Josef Hemmerle: ''Die Benediktinerklöster in Bayern (Germania Benedictina 2)''. Augsburg 1970, pp. 201–206
*Cornelia von Karais: "Oberaltaich". In ''Ratisbona sacra: Das Bistum Regensburg im Mittelalter. Ausstellung anläßlich des 1250jährigen Jubiläums der kanonischen Errichtung des Bistums Regensburg durch Bonifatius, 739–1989; Diözesanmuseum Obermünster, Regensburg, 2. Juni bis 1. Okt. 1989 das Bistum Regensburg im Mittelalter''. Schnell & Steiner, München 1989, pp. 211–215.
*Hans Neueder: ''Die barocken Fresken von Oberalteich. Beschreibung und Deutung einzigartiger Bilder in der ehemaligen Benediktiner-Abteikirche'', Regensburg 2010
{{Authority control
Benedictine monasteries in Germany
Monasteries in Bavaria
1803 disestablishments