The Bavarian town of Füssen stands near the Austrian border. For a long time Saint Magnus has been considered the patron saint of the city. In honor of St. Magnus was consecrated by the Benedictine monastery of Füssen, founded on the banks of the Lech in the XII century.
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo by wolf
Bavarian town Fussen It stands near the Austrian border. For a long time Saint Magnus has been considered the patron saint of the city. In honor of St. Magnus was consecrated Füssen Benedictine Monastery (Kloster Sankt Mang), founded on the banks of Leh in the XII century.
Preacher and Missionary Magnus lived in this region in the VIII century. He built a modest cell on the bank of Leh and preached the Christian religion to the local pagan tribes. The life and missionary work of Magnus was fanned by legends about the miracles that accompanied him. In many picturesque and sculptural images, St. Magnus defeats the dragon - so the artists symbolized the victory of Christianity over paganism.
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo by wolf
Even during the life of Magnus, his cell turned into a public chapel. After the death of the preacher in her place, it was decided to lay the temple. The large monastery complex began with a small church. In the XI century, the bishop of Augsburg ordered to replace it with a Romanesque three-nave basilica. The basilica had two apses on the east and west sides. At the end of the XII century, a tall rectangular tower was attached to it.
Monastery of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo Thomas Schall
The monastery complex made up a single ensemble with the Kurfürst castle, which was built in 1500 - 1830. At the beginning of the XVIII century, the basilica was rebuilt into a baroque church of the Venetian style. The reconstruction was carried out by an architect Johann Jacob Hercomer. The medieval buildings of the Benedictine Abbey were preserved. The 9th century Roman crypt with frescoes of the 10th century has also been preserved.
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo by wolf
The vaults of the church are painted with scenes of the life of St. Magnus and divine miracles performed by the missionary - these paintings can be seen in the medallions on the ceiling. The lower tier of the temple is decorated only with modest marble medallions, however, the ceiling vaults and the capitals of the columns are covered with luxurious stucco decoration.
Crypt Monastery
Crypt Monastery
The imperishable relics of St. Magnus (a thin fragment of the sternum) are stored in the crypt of the monastery church under the main altar in a transparent cross. There are other valuable relics there: a cross, a chalice and a saint's staff.
Library
The monastery also has other interesting premises: the baroque oval library, the Knight's Hall with columns. In the southern wing of the monastery is the city Fussen Museum. Part of the exposition of the Füssen Museum is dedicated to the theme of death. This theme is repeated in many picturesque images, including the famous European medieval series Dance of Death. There is an exhibition of ancient coffins in the museum.
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo by Hape Oßwald de Albstenstein
A significant part of the museum collection consists of musical instruments. Füssen masters have long been famous for their violins and lutes. The museum clearly shows the stages of their production, presents the work tools of the craftsmen, materials, paints, product details.
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang), photo by wolf
Abbey of St. Magnus (Kloster St. Mang)
Lechhalde 3 87629 Füssen, Deutschland
stadt-fuessen.de
