Rüeggisberg Priory (Kloster Rüeggisberg) was a

Cluniac The Cluniac Reforms (also called the Benedictine Reform) were a series of changes within medieval monasticism of the Western Church focused on restoring the traditional monastic life, encouraging art, and caring for the poor. The movement began wit ...

priory in the municipality of

Rüeggisberg Rüeggisberg is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Rüeggisberg is first mentioned in 1075 as ''mons Richeri''. In 1224 it was mentioned as ''Ruogersperg''. The oldest ...

Canton of Bern The canton of Bern or Berne (german: Kanton Bern; rm, Chantun Berna; french: canton de Berne; it, Canton Berna) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

History

The Priory was founded between 1072 and 1076 by Lütold of Rümligen. He granted the property and estates to

Cluny Abbey Cluny Abbey (; , formerly also ''Cluni'' or ''Clugny''; ) is a former Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was dedicated to Saint Peter. The abbey was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, with three churches ...

making it the first

house in the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

-speaking world. Under Cuno of

Siegburg Siegburg (i.e. ''fort on the Sieg river''; Ripuarian: ''Sieburch'') is a city in the district of Rhein-Sieg-Kreis in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the banks of the rivers Sieg and Agger, 10 kilometres from the former seat of ...

and

Ulrich of Zell Ulrich of Zell, also known as Wulderic, sometimes of Cluny or of Regensburg (c. 1029 – 1093), was a Cluniac The Cluniac Reforms (also called the Benedictine Reform) were a series of changes within medieval monasticism of the Western Chur ...

the first cells were built. Construction of the Romanesque church lasted from about 1100 to about 1185, of which there still remain the north

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...

and parts of the

crossing tower A crossing, in ecclesiastical architecture, is the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church. In a typically oriented church (especially of Romanesque and Gothic styles), the crossing gives access to the nave on the west, ...

. The Priory was dependent on Cluny Abbey and normally had a prior and two to four monks from Cluny. In 1148, it had two priories that were dependent on Rüeggisberg, in

Röthenbach im Emmental Röthenbach im Emmental is a municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Röthenbach is first mentioned in 1148 as ''Rochembac''. The village probably grew up around the Cluniac Röthen ...

and

Alterswil Alterswil is a former municipality in the district of Sense in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It is one of the municipalities with a large majority of German speakers in the mostly French speaking Canton of Fribourg. On 1 January 2021 the ...

. At its peak the priory controlled estates throughout what is now the

, including

Guggisberg Guggisberg (Bernese German ''Guggishbärg'' ) is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the Swiss canton of Bern. History Guggisberg is first mentioned in 1076 as ''Mons Guchani''. The next earliest reference to the co ...

, Alterswil,

Plaffeien Plaffeien (french: Planfayon; frp, Pllanfayon ) is a municipality in the district of Sense in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. It is one of the municipalities with a large majority of German speakers in the mostly French speaking Canton o ...

and

Schwarzenburg Schwarzenburg is a municipality in the district of Bern-Mittelland in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It was created on 1 January 2011 through the merger of the municipalities of Wahlern and Albligen. History Albligen Albligen is first mentio ...

as well as scattered farm houses and

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...

s on the shores of

Lake Biel __NOTOC__ Lake Bienne or Lake Biel (french: Lac de Bienne ; german: Bielersee) is a lake in western Switzerland. Together with Lake Morat and Lake Neuchâtel, it is one of the three large lakes in the Jura region of Switzerland. It lies approxima ...

. The priory was one of the most important monastic houses of Switzerland during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, but in the late medieval period decline set in, and in 1484 it was incorporated into the newly built college of the

Augustinian Canons Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by ...

Bern Minster Bern Minster (german: Berner Münster) is a Swiss Reformed cathedral (or minster) in the old city of Bern, Switzerland. Built in the Gothic style, its construction started in 1421. Its tower, with a height of , was only completed in 1893. It ...

. By 1532, when much of the town was destroyed in a fire, the Priory was abandoned.Rüeggisberg Parish Website
accessed 30 October 2012 The church was shut down in 1541 during the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

. The monastic buildings thereafter served as a source of building stone and partly as a barn. Between 1938 and 1947 on an archaeological dig the old foundations were again laid bare, as may be seen in the little museum next to the rectory.

Current condition

The ruins are generally open to the public, though they may be reserved for picnics or other gatherings. Each November an

advent Advent is a Christian season of preparation for the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. It is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity. The name was adopted from Latin "coming; arrival", translating Greek ''parousia''. In ...

market is held in the ruins and over the years a variety of open air plays and concerts have been held here.Rüeggisberg official website
accessed 30 October 2012 Between Easter and September, church services are held monthly in the ruins.

References

External links

Information on the priory on the Rüeggisberg town website

Information on the priory ruins on the Rüeggisberg Parish website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rueggisberg Priory Cluniac monasteries in Switzerland Buildings and structures in the canton of Bern