Like many Baroque churches in Germany, the church we see today is the renant of a monastic foundation from the late 12th century. It was always small with 6 monks in late 13th century, Its history was a succession of disasters. The Peasants' War of 1529 and the Thirty Years War 1618-48 brought huge damage and with only 4 monks after the latter. Recovery followed swiftly and it became an Imperial Abbey with 17 monks in 1694. The Abbot was in charge of territory 15 square kilometres,with 4000 subejects and would have to provide one officer and 61 men in the event of war involving the Empire. Then there was more disaster. The church tower collapse in 1699 meant church rebuilding until 1704.. It was likely done under Franz Beer and is a classic early example of wall pillar church design.
The most remarkable feature of the interior is the ship pulpit by Ignaz Hillenbrand done 1724-5. There are planks running along the pulpit steps, a raised anchor and the sail makes up the sounding board .With Archangel Michael on the bowsprit he is taking the boat (the Church) through the storm with shield and flaming sword. The vanquished Satan which used to be below the pulpit was taken out in 1834 as apparently it got in the way during processions!!
Ceiling paintings and some of the altars were done by one of the monks, Magnus Remy.
There is a super looking organ in the gallery with 30 stops, 2 manuals and pedals by Baltasar Frewiss, a pupil of Joseph Gabler in 1752-4. High point of music here was under Master of Music Fr. Meinrad Speiss. (1683-1761) and Fr.Anselm Schwink (1725-93).
You can sample the sound of the organ below.
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