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BAROQUE IN BAVARIA
Ettal Abbey Basilica Oberbayern
Situated
in a narrow mountain valley of the Alpine Oberbayern foothills on the
road from Garmish-Partenkirchen
to Oberammergau one comes upon
the still active monastery at the Basilica of Ettal Abbey, a magnificent
example of Southern Bavarian baroque style art
and architecture (see Munich's Baroque
Churches) set against the jutting rocky tree
brushed slopes of the Alps where even nuns can be
tourists. Originally established in 1330 as
a Bentictine Abbey by Kaiser Louis IV, Duke
of Bavaria and
emperor
of
the German nation,
who was at odds with the pope in Rome and his northern Italian city-state
neighbors. The castle-like church remained rather secluded until the
1700’s
when pilgrims brought more economy and a school, The “Knights
Academy” was established.
The
façades
and interiors of the Basilica were reconstructed in the ornate baroque
style popular in Southern Germany (see Cathedral
St Gallen). The 12
sided, domed main
hall is all a glitter with gold and marble, including a near
all gold gilt Pulpit and 18th Century masterwork art. The Ettal Madonna
with an honored place on the high altar
was brought
from Italy (most probably from Pisa) by the emperor and is said to
be of miraculous nature and the
source of the 14th Century German emperor’s
claim to Holy status. The
original gothic style which housed the first monks and a community
of knights similar in structure
to the Teutonic Knights, was constructed
by artisans from a community of stone masons from the lodge at the Cathedral
of Regensburg whose style can still be found in the portal and
the flying buttresses which support the main dome.
Ettal
is about an hour plus drive south from Munich and the region offers
a variety of beautiful Alpine style
hotels
and bed & breakfasts. Directly across
the street is the Post Hotel (Gastehaus der Post) and there are many
other small villages in this popular touring area which is about a
half hour drive from King Ludwig's Neuschwantsein Castle in Schwangau
(see German
King's Fantasy Castle). © Bargain
Travel Europe
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may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
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SEE ALSO:
OBERAMMERGAU
PASSION PLAY 2010
MAD
KING LUDVIG'S PLEASURE PALACE
Schloss Linderhoff
CASTLE ART MUSEUM IN BAVARIAN ALP
GESUNDHEIT
AND CULTURE IN THE NUDE DAY SUN
Munich's
Englischer Garten
A
TOUR WALK AROUND MUNICH'S MARIENPLATZ
HAMBURG'S
LANDMARK CHURCH ST. MICHAELS
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