Metten

Engraving of Metten Abbey from the "Churbaierisches Atlas" of Anton Wilhelm Ertl, 1687

In October 2016 I wrote "It is a great pleasure to feature this abbey as it is going to be high on my "to visit" list when next in the area. I have located some excellent photos from flickr and and outstanding YouTube videos. I almost feel I have been there already! " On 3 September 2019 I was there! We needed a base in east central Bavaria alongside the Czech border. Metten fitted the bill exactly: small place with Baroque abbey and famous library. This was to be our only hotel stop among stays in holiday flats. Taking a rest from our own cooking we experienced massive dinners in our hotel's Brazilian restaurant! Groaning tables of starters, fabulous meats cooked on skewers and finally kebabbed fresh warm pineapple.

Anyway, to business! The first day we explored the nearby abbey church..The Benedictine Abbey was founded in 766 by Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch. For many centuries Metten was under the Dukes and Electors of Bavaria. When Charlemagne stayed in Regensburg for three years after 788, Utto turned his abbey over to the Frankish ruler, making the Ducal Abbey a Royal Abbey. After the Carolingians became extinct, Metten was turned into an Imperial Abbey. Besides the work of land clearance in the Bavarian border territories, the monks were very active in education. Members of the abbey were not only schoolteachers, but also members of the Bavarian Academy of Science in Munich and professors of philosophy and theology in Freising and Salzburg.

The late 15th century church was rebuilt in Baroque style 1712-1729 to form a wall-pillar church with 4 bay nave, narrower choir and twin-towered western façade with a most imposing apsidal central section under a half dome. The 15th century nave walls were reused as wall pillars with walls moved outwards.

Frescoes by Innozenz Warathi (of Sterzing in the Tirol) and the huge nave fresco covers the whole ceiling. Fine stucco work by Franz Josef Holzinger (also from the Tyrol) and high altar by Jakob Schopl with a painting of St Michael casting down satan by C. D. Asam.

St Michael casts out Satan by CD Asam

Nave ceiling fresco.Photo by Janos
Korom (Flickr CC)

After secularisation in 1803 the abbey's property was confiscated, and by 1815 had all been auctioned off. Over a number of years Johann von Pronath acquired the greater part of the former premises and succeeded in persuading King Ludwig I of Bavaria in 1830 to re-establish the monastery, which by 1837 had been set up to incorporate a boarding school (Gymnasium), in continuance of its educational traditions, which the monastery has run to this day.

The re-founded abbey was very active in restoring new monasteries. Since 1858 it has been a member of the Bavarian Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation.

THe church is very much alive with regular Masses and devotions. A bus load arrived while we were there for a special Mass. Clearly a prayerful place with usual enticing west end organ  I am sorry we didnt manage to get to a service.

Court of the abbey. Photo by Janos Korom (Flickr CC)

Confessionals in the church. Photo by Janos Korom (Flickr CC)

Nave ceiling fresco.Photo by Janos Korom (Flickr CC)

Organ gallery.Photo by Janos Korom (Flickr CC)

Introduction to the sung music tradition at Metten. Fantastic clear German diction.

Early the next day we queued in the cloister for a guided tour of the library. Our party of four were iushered through corridors and locked doors to reach possibly the most beautiful library I have ever seen. This library of 1722-6 has 150,000 volumes with outstanding decorations again by F. J. Holzinger and Innozenz Warathi. Superb wooden bookshelves by Jakob Scopf. We were bombarded with vast amounts of other information in a classic illustration of how not to do a tour ALL IN GERMAN! No introductions at the start to establish rapport ; no concessions to foreigners ; no guiding round the shelves or exhibition cabinets ; no photos allowed ; only a virtual ego trip monologue! To be fair he was a real Benedictine inmate who had too much to do. So glad we saw this wonderful room. You can visit in the little video below.

Short film showing the superb Baroque library.Rather different from the ones I have worked in.

There was no opportunity to see the Festsaal of 1734-59 by Benedict Schottl and his son Albert. has stucco work by Mathias Obermayer and ceiling fresco of the Second Coming by Martin Speer. To see this look at the little video below.

And finally a 360 degree panorama of the Festsaal and more. Click on the arrowed circle at top left for a real treat!