Salem Abbey by Jacob Andreas Fridrich (1648–1751) after a drawing by Christoph Lienhardt(1648–1714), published in Apiarium Salemitanum, 1708.
From about 1285 to 1425 the Cistercian Salem Abbey was built in the Gothic style. In the 17th century, the Thirty Years' War brought death and destruction.Following a huge fire during the night of 9 March 1697, which almost completely destroyed the imperial abbey, Abbot Emanuel Sulger ordered the Vorarlberg architect Franz Beer to rebuild the monastery. In just ten years, the architect built the 180 meter long complex comprising the Prelature and convent building, symmetrically divided by central and corner pavilions. Monks lived in the convent building while the abbot lived in the Prelature. The magnificent rooms emphasize the abbey's standing. The heyday of the monastery ended with the German secularisation in 1803 and the territory fell to the Margraviate of Baden.It remains the private property of the House of Baden. THe Church has been the parish church for Salem since 1808.
When I first posted about Salem I had not visited. In summer 2018 we visited by bus from Meersburg. The abbey complex is huge and I also remember the large wine cellar, the school, distillery museum, fire brigade museum , stables and canal running underground. Altogether a remarkable survival. Most interesting to me were the prelatrure buildings in baroque style - some of the best I have seen.
The canal in the centre of the complex, a source of water,
so necessary in any monastery site.
Gatehouse of 1735 which housed the abbey pharmacy
Nave with baroque monuments
18th century Choir stalls by JA Feuchtmayer, Johann Georg Dirr,
Franz Anton Dirr and Johann Georg Wieland
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There were three organs in various places by Karl Joseph Riepp
Remarkable late Gothic sacrament houseAdd caption
Closeup of the sacarament house
The bernard corridor : part of the old Cloister : note the superb stucco work
by FJFeuchtmayr and Michael Wiedermann. Paintings of life of St Bdernard
by Andreas Brugger added c 1760.
Famous summer refectory
The superb stucco work and ceiling recall the religious meaning of dining together. There is a pulpit by JA Feuchmayer, The stove is unforgttable snd much photographed. Alas we did not have sufficient time to do this justice. Designed by Daniel Meyer from Steckborn in 1733. It shows the ora et labora of Benedictine life.
The 18th century stove
Close-up of a tile on the stove
The Library today.
The Prelature first floor contained the Library which originally had 40,000 to 60,000 books. It was renovated in the 18th century with a gallery and new book shelves. At the start of the 19th century with the secularisation the books were taken to Heidelberg University.
Second floor corridor leading to Abbot's appartments
Secretary to the Abbot's office
Abbot Anselm II
Abbot Constantin Miller
Antechamber to the Abbot's drawing room
Abbot Anselm's drawing room
Abbot Anselm II Schwab had the drawing room arranged in 1764 by Johann Georg Dirr. Quite the opposite of pompous, the Rococo style room appears rather playful. Stucco décor, a cycle of paintings about the life of Christ, two grandfather clocks and a beautiful parquet floor: this was how the abbot received his guests. A painting by Andreas Brugger above the door in the anteroom depicts the monastery fire of 1697. Green tendrils and gilded muscular figures adorn the secretary's adjacent room.
Abbit Anselm's drawing room
THe abbot's bedroom
Abbot's bedroom
Kaaisersaal or Imperial Hall
This mighty room was the Abbey's principle reception room. The stucco decoration is thte masterpiece of Franz Joseph Feuchtmayer, who came to Salem in 1707n for the rebuilding. There are life size figures of empooperors and niches with portraits of popes. THe illustrations above the four doors show the allegories of war and peace, state and church. They underlikne the idea of the reign of the Holy Church.
Finally here is some music by a former monk. There must have been a rich musical tradition here.
Andreas Heichlinger (1746 - 1809) Cistercian monk.at Salem
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