Munich is surrounded by many picturesque little villages nestled in the mountainous landscape. But only a few of them can boast an old monastery that has been around since the 8th century and is now a magnet for visitors. Unlike Andechs Monastery, you don’t have to climb a mountain to admire the building, but can stay comfortably on the plain. And it’s well worth a visit, because even without a panoramic view, there is plenty to discover here.
The oldest monastery in Upper Bavaria
Photo: STC Pictures/Pixabay
Although there is no documentary evidence to support this, experts believe that Buron Monastery, as it was then called, was founded as early as the 8th century. In 955, it fell victim to destruction by the Hungarians, and it was not until more than 70 years later that Benedictine monks from Tegernsee breathed new life into it. In the 12th century, Benediktbeuern Monastery experienced its first cultural heyday, as evidenced by the Romanesque decorative floor. The library covered all the important areas of higher education at that time.
After the end of the Thirty Years’ War, the monastery once again experienced a heyday. The construction of St. Benedict’s Basilica in the 17th century was accompanied by the Baroque redesign of the complex, and the monastery housed a grammar school and a college. In 1803, the abbey was dissolved as part of the Bavarian secularization, and the monastery church became a Catholic parish church. In the course of this, the Carmina Burana was found in the monastery library, which is now housed in the Bavarian State Library in Munich. Carl Orff set parts of it to music in the 1930s.
After secularization, Josef von Utzschneider acquired the monastery buildings and set up a glassworks there, where Josef Frauenhofer worked. It was here that he discovered the Fraunhofer lines, which would later play an important role in the development of spectral analysis. In 1818, the Bavarian state took over most of the complex, except for the glassworks, before it returned to ecclesiastical hands in 1930. The Salesians of Don Bosco settled here as a religious community, and 35 members of the order still live here today.
A visit to Benediktbeuern Monastery
Photo: Georg Eiermann/Unsplash
Benediktbeuern is now a municipality with approximately 3,600 inhabitants in the district of Bad Tölz. The two onion domes of the basilica are the first thing that catches your eye and are the landmark of the village. You can take a leisurely tour of the monastery, the basilica, and the Rococo chapel of St. Anastasia during your visit and learn more about their history.
The monastery’s Baroque hall is now sometimes used as a concert hall where you can listen to classical music. Open-air concerts are also held here in the summer. In 2008, Deep Purple played one of only three open-air concerts in Germany in Benediktbeuern. Adel Tawil and Harry G. have also performed here.
The Frauenhofer glassworks still exists today as a museum. Discover the researcher’s equipment and melting furnaces and learn more about the art of glass grinding in the early 19th century. There are several nature trails around Benediktbeuern Monastery where you can walk and experience your surroundings, e.g., on the moor trail, the barefoot trail, or the sound trail.
The village of Benediktbeuern itself offers a varied program of events throughout the year. After Pentecost, the Pentecost market takes place here, followed by the Christmas market during Advent and the summer cellar festival of the volunteer fire department in August. Last but not least, at the end of your visit to Benediktbeuern, you can stop off at the Klosterbräustüberl and recharge your batteries. When the weather is nice, sit outside in the beer garden and enjoy the sun.