Benedictine monastery in Melk (German: Stift Melk) is located in the land of Lower Austria.
The architecture of the monastery complex .
monastery in Melk affects its size. The area occupied by the monastery , is equal to 17.5 thousand m ², the length of the south wall of the monastery is 362 m.
Stepping through the gates of the monastery, visitors enter a two-story , bright room Benedict , whose image is depicted on wall murals. Hall of Benedict overlooking the monastery courtyard , 84 feet long and 42 meters wide, has a trapezoidal shape . In the center of the courtyard is a fountain of Saint Koloman .
Museum.
in the monastery for visitors to a museum , each room is dedicated to one or two themes: .
1. Ancient art of the monastery since Babenbergov .
2. Melk reform and raising a church art of the Middle Ages .
3. The flowering of the Baroque.
4. Melk Cross.For security and other considerations of the museum is a copy of the cross.
5. The economy of the monastery.
6. Holy Koloman , patron of the monastery and the town of Melk .
7. Musical and theatrical art of the monastery.
8. Benedictines, Saint Benedict .
9. School, a boarding and teaching function of the monastery.
10.The story buildings of the monastery complex , the restructuring of the Baroque and the subsequent restoration.
11. The monastery is in the baroque style and its decoration , represented a smaller model of the monastery.
The story of the monastery :.
early period .
In the early 11th century belonged Babenbergam Melk , the first prince of the dynasty in Austria.The city served as the burial place not only for the ruling dynasty Babenbergov , but also from October 13, 1014 for St. Koloman . Manuscripts from monastic libraries indicate that even when Margrave Leopold I Melk was a stronghold and a city in which the monarch could accommodate traveling or higher church officials.With the expansion of the county to the north and east there were new centers, and Melk gradually lost in importance, but still remained usypalnym Babenbergov place . During the struggle for investiture Margrave Leopold II gave the exiled Bishop Altmann of Passau from refuge in passing.Presumably , that Altman had a weighty influence on Leopold II in its decision to build a monastery in Melk . Already March 21, 1089 , Benedictine monks finally settled in the monastery of Melk . Since 1122 the monastery in Melk out of the zone of influence of Passau and becomes subordination of the Pope.August 14, 1297 at the monastery had a large fire which destroyed its existing buildings. It was also lost most of the manuscripts from the monastery library .
The Late Middle Ages and Melk monastic reform .
A fire at the monastery turned it into ruins.However, Abbe Ulrich II (1306-1324) decided that burned the monastery to be built anew. But the events of the 14th century did not give the monastery quietly evolve : the plague , crop failures and schism , which lasted from 1378 to 1417 , has undermined the monastic discipline and the economic foundations of the monastery.Some brought a glimpse of the reign of Duke Rudolf IV. The Duke gave the monastery expensive relic - artfully decorated cross of Jesus Christ , later called Melk Cross. Duke also rebuilt and decorated the tomb of Saint Koloman .In the early 15th century monastery of Melk , like many other monasteries of this time, had too much debt , the monks have been with each other in a quarrel, but discipline is broken. At the Cathedral of Constance , it was decided to reform the Benedictine monasteries, and the starting point of this reform was to be the monastery at Melk .Nikolaus Zoyringer (Nikolaus Seyringer), last rector of Vienna University , and since 1418 the abbot of the monastery Melk , was sent to the monastery of Melk to monitor reforms. Zoyringer led a monastic discipline in the monastery in order, and the Melk monastic reform was the beginning of a broader reform of the church area.Monks from other monasteries arrived in Melk to explore the experience of reform of monastic life . The monks were invited to Melk in other monasteries as abbot for them to change like those that occurred in passing.Thus became the center of Melk in Austria reforms first , and then the entire southern German-speaking space to Schwarzwald forest .
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The decline and resurgence in the 16th and 17th centuries .
In the early 16th century war with Turkey brought new charges that have undermined the economic foundations of the monastery.At the same time residents of nearby lands, as well as owners of neighboring fortresses supported the Reformation. The number of servants of the monastery declined sharply. In 1566, the monastery served less than ten people. The monastery was on the verge of closing. In 1564 arrived in Melk new abbot Urban Pentasa , with whom , and the revival of the monastery.The case was continued by Abbot Kaspar his followers Hoffman ( abbot from 1587 to 1623) and Rainer von Landau ( 1623-1673 ). The monastery is finally paid off the debt, despite the high taxes caused by the conduct of the Thirty Years' War. The church and monastery were restored , and the monastery once again playing an important role in the neighborhood .Simultaneously, the monastery becomes a regional center for the Counter-Reformation , the main idea of which was opposition to Lutheran ideas.
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The construction of the monastery in the Baroque style.
November 18, 1700 , was elected abbot of thirty Ditmayr Berthold , who from the very beginning of his reign, aimed to improve the religious, spiritual and political significance of the monastery through its restructuring. Achieve the goals intended by the abbot of the monastery of restructuring in the Baroque style.This mission was entrusted to the architect Jacob Prandtaueru . In 1701 it was decided to rebuild the monastery church , and after it was decided to restructure the entire monastery. Prandtauer supervised the construction until his death in 1726. Inner architect has been selected buildings Viennese designer Antonio Bedutstsi theaters .After the death of his mission Prandtauera adopted his nephew . And by 1736 the construction of a monastic church and the monastery itself was essentially complete. However, in 1738 the monastery was seized new fire , which destroyed nearly all the roofs , the two towers of the monastery and some interior rooms.By 1746 all the consequences of the fire was eliminated.
The Age of Enlightenment .
In the Age of Enlightenment ( in Austria - in the reign of Emperor Joseph II, spent in the country 's liberal reforms ) monastery in Melk has experienced some changes. By imperial decree was revoked the teaching of theology.All the priests were to take a course in Vienna , in the spirit of the Enlightenment , and then sent back to the monasteries where they were ordered to advance and disseminate new ideas.
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monastery in the 19th century .
During the Napoleonic wars the monastery was entrusted with new taxes.Caused by their debt could be repaid only after the end of the reign of Bonaparte at the Zwinger Abbot Mariana (Marian Zwinger, 1819-1837). After the 1848 revolution the monastery loses the right to land .Everything else is obligated to pay the monastery financial aid , part of which was sent to the reconstruction of Catholic churches , while another part was directed to land today's Romania. In the late 19th century by Abbot Charles Alexander (Alexander Karl, 1875-1909) returns to its former monastery influence in the region.
The development of a 20 veke .
In the early 20th century in the monastery were built modern sewage systems, water supply and electricity conducted . Was also performed restoration of buildings . Despite the outbreak of World War all the works were successfully completed.However, due to costs associated with the conduct of the war , as well as increased inflation in 1919, the monastery had to part with many of his valuable works of art. Among others, in 1926, was sold to Yale University Gutenberg Bible .After the Anschluss in 1938, the monastic school was closed and the buildings of the monastery bo'lshaya transferred to public higher education institution. The monastery had feared a complete closure, but as World War II and during the occupation of the monastery has survived nearly intact. In 1960, the facade of the monastery was again restored.In 1989 was celebrated 900th anniversary with an exhibition which opened at the monastery , which was open to visitors until 1990. In these two years, the monastery was visited by about 1.1 million people .Belonged to the monastery in Melk Monastery in Kartauzov Gaminge (Kartause Gaming) was sold in the form of cash shortages for its restoration with insufficient funds for the restoration of the monastery of Melk . As a result of the restoration measures made the monastery was opened to tourists, money that now represent a significant portion of the proceeds of the complex.Subsequently, was also built infrastructure for tourists : parking for cars and bicycles , restaurant. Also there are guided tours of the monastery complex and a garden.
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