Munich is a city of over a million people where you’re never really alone. Every day, thousands of people flock to the Viktualienmarkt, the Glockenbachviertel, and Maxvorstadt. And yet there are communities here that manage to remain almost entirely among themselves. The Templars’ Archiconvent in Giesing is one such place, whose residents live in their own little parallel world right in the middle of our beautiful metropolis. No one knows exactly what the order is all about, but its striking church tower draws curious glances.
The onion-domed tower in Giesing
Even from a distance, it peeks out from among the trees. Located between Flaucher and Wettersteinplatz is the Archiconvent of the Knights Templar, whose church tower stands a proud 87 meters tall. This is where the members of the “Trinitarion of the Oriental-Orthodox-Catholic and Crusader Chorus and Hospitaller Order of the Knights Templar e.V.”—colloquially known as the Order of the Knights Templar—live. This order was dissolved as early as 1300, but it was reestablished time and again, including in Munich in the 20th century. After it was forced to leave its old location at Birkenleiten 27 in 1968, it purchased the entrepreneur’s villa a few houses down.
This villa was built as early as 1880 in the Old German Romantic style, commissioned by jeweler Karl Winterhalter. The Order of the Templars incorporated the villa into the monastery and carried out extensive renovations featuring Neo-Gothic elements. Among the additions is the church tower with its 18-meter-high onion dome, which is a true eye-catcher. Four smaller spires frame it, giving it a somewhat fairy-tale-like quality. The main building is also adorned with several turrets, making the estate a magnificent sight. The Templars’ Archiconvent also features a carillon that, with its 21 bells, is one of the largest in Germany.
Monastic Life at the Templars’ Archiconvent
The members of the Order of the Templars allow only few glimpses into their daily lives. A few years ago, the SZ had the pleasure of taking a look behind the monastery walls. The Templars’ Archiconvent is a double monastery where nuns and monks live side by side . Some of them are even married; celibacy plays no role. Since the order is not recognized by the Vatican, it is also an independent organization.
There are 13 monks and 13 nuns in total at the convent, modeled after Jesus and his 12 disciples. Upon joining, they commit to a modest life of poverty. At the same time, they support those in need, distribute fresh food, and invite people to join them for lunch from Monday through Thursday. This allows 300 people to enjoy a full three-course meal. If you’d like to get involved yourself, you can contact the Templers through their website—after all, they don’t live quite so secluded a life. Everyone else simply enjoys the sight of the magnificent onion-domed tower as they pass by.
