Perhaps you have heard whispers of a town where Baroque splendor meets deep-rooted traditions. This is Weingarten. Before us stands Weingarten Abbey. Its story is intertwined with faith, art, and the very fabric of this community.
We step back in time to 1056. Welf I Duke of Bavaria founded Weingarten Abbey. Monks from Altomünster Abbey settled here. The name Weingarten Vineyard was documented around 1123. In 1126 Henry IX Duke of Bavaria came here after he quit. He died the same year and was buried in the abbey church.
Imagine the abbey in its early days. Monks diligently worked at manuscript illumination. Their most famous work is the Berthold Sacramentary of 1217. It is now held in New York’s Pierpont Morgan Library. Another notable work is the Welfenchronik. It was written around 1190. It chronicles the House of Welf. Their seat was in nearby Ravensburg.
In 1274 the monastery became a Reichsabtei. This meant it was independent of all territorial lordship except the emperor. It grew. It acquired 306 square kilometers of territory. This stretched from Allgäu to Lake Constance. It became one of the richest monasteries in southern Germany.
Now transport yourself to the 18th century. The Romanesque abbey church built between 1124 and 1182 was mostly torn down. From 1715 to 1724 it was replaced. A large and richly decorated Baroque church was built. Since 1956 it has been a papal basilica minor. Franz Beer planned the church. The north wing would have blocked the imperial road. Construction on the north wing stopped on April 27 1728. The southern wing was extended and the east wing was completed.
Picture the abbey in 1803 during the German Mediatisation. The abbey was dissolved. It first became part of the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda. In 1806 it became part of the Kingdom of Württemberg. The buildings were used as a factory and barracks.
The story takes another turn in 1922. Weingarten was re-founded. Benedictines from Beuron Archabbey resettled it. They also came from the English Abbey of Erdington. In 1940 the monks were expelled by the National Socialists. After the war they were able to return.
Today the abbey and St. Martin’s Basilica are major attractions. They sit on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. The current church was built between 1715 and 1724. It is in the Italian-German Baroque style. It is the second largest church in Germany. It is the largest Baroque church in Germany. The 102-meter-long church is known as the Swabian St. Peter’s. It is almost exactly one-half the size of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Inside the church, the Gabler Organ is world-renowned. Joseph Gabler built it between 1735 and 1750. The organ has over 60 registers, 169 ranks, 63 voices and over 6600 pipes. It is considered the 44th largest organ in the world.
A wing of the abbey houses the present monastery. Other parts of the former abbey house the Pädagogische Hochschule Weingarten. The Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart is also here.
Weingarten’s greatest treasure was its relic of the Precious Blood. It is still kept in the church. The relic was discovered in 804. Pope Saint Leo III solemnly exalted it. During invasions it was buried. In 1048 Pope Saint Leo IX re-discovered and solemnly exalted it. Emperor Henry III and dignitaries were present. It was divided into three parts. The pope took one to Rome. Henry III received another. The third remained at Mantua. Henry III gave his share to Baldwin V Count of Flanders. Baldwin gave it to his daughter Juditha. Juditha married Welf I Duke of Bavaria. She presented the relic to Weingarten. The solemn presentation occurred in 1090. It was stipulated that the relic should be carried in solemn procession annually. This day became known as Blutfreitag.
In 1812 the procession was prohibited. Since 1849 it has taken place every year. It is known as the Blutritt. A rider carries the relic on horseback. Many other riders and thousands of people on foot follow. The government confiscated the reliquary. It was formerly of solid gold with jewels. It was replaced by a gilded copper imitation.
As we stand here let us reflect on the ebb and flow of history. The stories echo through these stones. They remind us that Weingarten Abbey is not just a building. It is a living testament to faith, art, and community.