The Abbey of Saint John (german: Benediktinerinnenkloster St. Johann; rm, Claustra benedictina da Son Jon) is an

early medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...

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 A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

in the Swiss municipality of Val Müstair, in the Canton of Graubünden. By reason of its exceptionally well-preserved

heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physica ...

Carolingian art Carolingian art comes from the Frankish Empire in the period of roughly 120 years from about 780 to 900—during the reign of Charlemagne and his immediate heirs—popularly known as the Carolingian Renaissance. The art was produced by and for th ...

, it has been a UNESCO

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

since 1983.

History

The Carolingian Renaissance is deeply in debt to the success of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...

as a king and patron, and the driving force behind what we see in St John Abbey. Throughout history, art, education and leisure have all only truly thrived in times of peace, although war is often the most important factor for technological change. In the early Middle Ages the constant conflicts between the Frankish Kingdoms hindered the artistic progress previously enjoyed by the Romans when their empire was at its height. Under

's prosperous kingship, the introduction of a new peacetime monastic order began, paving the way for the frescos and architecture seen at Saint John Abbey. As a devout Christian,

wished to further the ability for his people to be both educated in the teachings of the church, and for his kingdom to be stable. One of the many ways that he achieved this was through his patronage of many monasteries throughout the Frankish Kingdom. The monasteries served as a training ground for missionaries, who were to be sent to the newly conquered areas of his empire and effect their conversion to Christianity. His goals were mostly focused on education, and his mission as king was to provide the basis for the education of the clergy so they could, in turn, educate the parishioners. These monasteries served as canvas for much of the art and architecture of the Carolingian Renaissance. The Carolingian artisans were known to be skilled painters, jewelers, and goldsmiths. Their aptitude for extensive and grandiose decoration was often used to decorate the manuscripts that were written by monks at abbeys such as St John’s. Such skilled and advanced artistry further highlights the importance of peace as a canvas for improved art and architecture in a civilization. As it is possible to see from the Pictures of St John's frescoes, painting was also a large part of the Carolingian Renaissance. The Carolingian style of painting was founded in Roman, Christian and Germanic styles. The manner in which figures were portrayed was clearly Roman in style, the subject matter very often Christian, and the geometric designs and animal figures were Germanic in nature. Depictions from the gospels, as well as those of King David were particularly popular, as well as some Carolingian kings, and of course Christ in majesty. It is believed that the abbey was established ca. 780 by a bishop of

Chur , neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers , twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...

,ICOMOS Evaluation for UNESCO
/ref> perhaps under orders from

. It was built during a wave of monastery construction that included the nearby monasteries at

Cazis Cazis ''( Romansh: Tgazas)'' is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Portein, Präz, Sarn and Tartar merged into the municipality of Cazis. History Cazis is first ...

, Mistail,

Pfäfers Pfäfers is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The villages Pfäfers, St. Margrethenberg, Vadura, Valens, Vasön and Vättis belong to the municipality. History The '' ...

, and

Disentis Disentis (German) or Mustér (, Romansh), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the ...

. The abbey was located along the Val Müstair pass over the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...

from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and was fortified to allow it to control the pass. In 881 the abbey passed over to be completely under the control of the

Bishop of Chur The Bishop of Chur (German: ''Bischof von Chur'') is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chur, Grisons, Switzerland (Latin: ''Dioecesis Curiensis'').frescos were painted in the church. Later, in the 11th and 12th centuries, the abbey experienced a second expansion and new paintings were added or painted over the old frescoes. These paintings were only rediscovered in the 20th century. In the 10th century, the church tower was added to the abbey church. During the expansion of the 11th century, the bishop of Chur enlarged his residence at the monastery. A fine tower home,

cloister A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...

, and the double chapel of St. Ulrich and St. Nicholas were added. During the expansion, the two-story residence chapel of the bishop was also decorated with extensive stucco and fresco work. At some time in the 12th century, the occupants of the abbey changed from

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

s to

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

s. This change is first mentioned in 1167, but it happened sometime before this date. The first abbess known by name is Adelheid, attested between 1211 and 1233. The

Swabian War The Swabian War of 1499 ( gsw, Schwoobechrieg (spelling depending on dialect), called or ("Swiss War") in Germany and ("War of the Engadin") in Austria) was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of ...

, which was an attempt by the Habsburgs to assert control over the Grisons and key alpine passes, started at the convent. Riezler, Sigmund:
Die Grafen von Fürstenberg im Schweizerkriege 1499
';

Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in three ...

1883. from historicum.net. Detailed chronological account of events. On 20 January 1499, Habsburg troops occupied the surrounding valley and plundered the convent, but were soon driven back by the forces of the

Three Leagues The Three Leagues, sometimes referred to as Raetia, was the alliance of 1471 of the League of God's House, the League of the Ten Jurisdictions, and the Grey League, leading eventually to the formation of the Swiss canton of Graubünden (Grison ...

at the Battle of Calven. Following the raid, an armistice was signed between the Habsburgs and the Three Leagues. However, this armistice only lasted a few days before the conflicts broke out between the Three Leagues' Old Swiss Confederacy allies and the Habsburg troops. These raids quickly escalated into the Swabian War, which ended in September 1499 with the Treaty of

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

granting virtual independence to the Swiss Confederacy. About 1500 the abbey church was modified from a single-

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

Carolingian construction into a three-nave late Gothic church. Shortly thereafter, in 1524 and 1526, through the Ilanzer Articles, the

League of God's House The League of God's House (German: ''Gotteshausbund'', Italian: ''Lega Caddea'', rm, ) was formed in what is now Switzerland on 29 January 1367, to resist the rising power of the Bishopric of Chur and the House of Habsburg. The League allied wi ...

was able to weaken the temporal power of the bishop, which had the indirect effect of reducing the income of the abbey. Consequently, there was limited construction on the abbey following this. In the spirit of the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...

the bishop issued a series of reforms governing religious life between 1600 and 1614. The reforms included new regulations as to who could receive the sacraments and the publication of the breviary. Other policies, such as the requirement in the

Benedictine Rule The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' ( la, Regula Sancti Benedicti) is a book of precepts written in Latin in 516 by St Benedict of Nursia ( AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. The spirit of Saint Benedict's Ru ...

for common sleeping areas, were also relaxed in this era. Throughout the history of the Abbey of Saint John there were conflicts between the Bishop of Chur, the

Grey League The Grey League (german: Grauer Bund, it, Lega Grigia, rm, Ligia Grischa or ), sometimes called ''Oberbund'', formed in 1395 in the ''Vorderrhein'' and '' Hinterrhein'' valleys, Raetia. The name Grey League is derived from the homespun grey cl ...

and the

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

. The abbey's ruler, the

abbess An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa''), also known as a mother superior, is the female superior of a community of Catholic nuns in an abbey. Description In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Copt ...

, and the government authority, the

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 ...

, were often chosen by one of these three powers.

Paintings

During the 20th-century restoration works, some Romanesque frescoes from the 1160s were discovered here. Other murals are dated to

's reign. The UNESCO recognized these as "Switzerland's greatest series of figurative murals, painted c. A.D. 800, along with Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes".UNESCO List
accessed 28 April 2008 The figures seen in the frescos of St Johns are of balanced and symmetrical composition, and throughout the church this creates a sense of story and rhythm. The artist’s rapid application of paint and his use of brightness are a means of drawing attention to certain images over others, and shows the complexity and sophistication of the artist's skill. There is a clear link between the frescos seen here in Mustair and those seen in the Lombard Church of Santa Maria foris portas di Castelseprio, has led some academics to believe that the artist were either local or at the very least familiar with the work seen there. One of the main reasons for the popularity of paintings was the fact that literacy is not required. As a result of this, the stories of Christianity and the messages that the clergy wish to share become more easily accessible to the masses that may or may not be literate. The Abbey of St John holds some of the most important biblical stories. These stories hold greater implications for the modern day viewer as it shows what was considered to be the most important elements of Christianity at the time. The original single

church with five

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. ...

s has several significant

Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...

frescoes from around 800. The paintings are organized in five rows that stretch from the southern wall across the west wall to the northern wall. The top row features scenes from the life of King David of the

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' Old Testament. The next three rows show scenes from the youth, life, and Passion of Christ. The bottom row contains scenes from the

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...

of St. Andreas. On the western wall the rows are tied together with an image of the Last Judgment. The paintings were done in a limited range of colors including ochre, red, and brown and help in the "comprehension of the evolution of certain Christian iconographic themes, like that of the last judgment". The importance of The Last Judgment is a substantial element in the power of the church over its congregation. What the fresco depicts is the end of the world, and the judgment that will befall all of mankind. Here people are assessed for their sins, and if they have asked forgiveness for their sins. Although it would be foolish to assume that all who visited the church at the time believed exactly what was depicted on its walls, we can draw conclusions about the messages the church was trying to portray about the importance of confession and a sense of self-assessment when it comes to the question of morality. Many of the frescos were painted over and only some have been restored. The apses and the eastern wall were repainted in the 12th century with Romanesque frescoes showing a variety of biblical themes including the dinner of Herod Antipas (where the dancing of Herodias' daughter leads to the execution of

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

; ), the wise and foolish virgins, apostles, and St. Stephen.

Gallery

File:Benediktinerkloster St. Johann.JPG, Benedictine Abbey of St. John File:St Johann - 3.jpg, Abbey of St. John (2) File:Muestair Kloster.jpg, Abbey of St. John File:Kloster Muestair.jpg, Abbey of St. John (2) File:St Johann - 6.jpg, Abbey church File:St Johann - 7.jpg, Abbey church with tower home (right) File:Kreuzkapelle.JPG, Chapel of the Cross File:MonasterosanGiovanniInterno.JPG, Three-nave church File:St Johann - 8.jpg, View of the central apse File:St Johann - 10.jpg, Christ as Pantokrator File:St Johann - 11.jpg, Central apse with dinner of Herod Antipas and statue of Charlemagne File:St Johann - 17.jpg, Southern apse File:St Johann - 21.jpg, Carolingian frescoes on the north wall File:Meister von Müstair 001.jpg, Carolingian fresco: Apostle figure, detail File:Meister von Müstair 002.jpg, Carolingian fresco showing Christ healing a deaf-mute File:Benediktinerkloster St. Johann Relief.JPG, Stucco relief on the north wall of the abbey church

Notes and references

External links

* *
Kloster Müstair
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John Abbey, Mustair Val Müstair Benedictine nunneries in Switzerland Buildings and structures in Graubünden Museums in Graubünden History museums in Switzerland Religious museums in Switzerland World Heritage Sites in Switzerland Cultural property of national significance in Graubünden Christian monasteries established in the 8th century 8th-century establishments in Switzerland Carolingian architecture Romanesque architecture in Switzerland Churches in Graubünden

History

Paintings

Gallery

See also

Notes and references

External links