Zwiefalten

Zwiefalten means two fold water  and comes from the two streams of the Aach which flow together here. Founded in the late 11th century by Counts Kuno and Luithold of Achalm, this Benedictine foundation had 70 monks and 150 lay brothers in the 12th  century. The first stone church was consecrated in 1109. Then there was a complete rebuild under Abbots Stegmuller (1725-44) and Mauz (1744-65).The first architects were Josef and Martin Schneider with work beginning 1739. There were problems and the famous architect from Munich Johann Michael Fischer was employed. The result is one of his great masterpieces. It is a Vorarlberg wall pillar church with 4 bay nave with larger transeptal bay and long eastern limb with monks' choir, sanctuary. and two flanking towers. (1750-4) The imposing facade reminds us of Diessen. Consecration in 1765 and all interior decoration not finished until 1785. In 1802/3 the monastery was secularised and since 1812 the church has been used by the town and as a place of pilgrimage.

It was a place of "pilgrimage" for me on my first visit as I limped around South Germany in 1989 by train and bus  on my first Baroque tour. It was a cloudy afternoon and there was a lady with a big wobble rehearsing Ave Maria in the gallery with organ. It didnt quite fit the architecture. My second visit in 2017 was quieter and have given us the photos below.  I hope to return this year  30 years later!!! There is so much to take in.

The frescos and altarpiece are by Franz Josef Spiegler (1691-1756), stucco work by JMFeichtmeyer (1709-72) and sculpture by Johann Josef Christian (1706-77),

       The overwhelming nave : note the wall pillars and protruding galleries

Enlarged  bay forming left transept

Central Fresco : coronation of Mary  by Spiegler 

Modern main altar

Altar and view inroi monks choir

Another view of altar and view into monks choir

Enlarged bay or right transept

The rococo pulpit by JJChristian

The Ezekiel pulpit by JJ Christian  is a high point of rococo sculpture.  On the pillar opposite, Ezekiel can be seen and under the pulpit his vision of of the field of bones is depicted.

View of the nave

Confessional

Part of the central fresco L Marian pilgrimage by Spiegler (1751)

View back to organ gallery