Choir stalls in Bronnbach Monastery

Bronnbach Monastery is an interesting place. It was founded by Cistercian monks in 1138 and enjoys a very secluded location in the Tauber valley in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. This isolated spot is well away from the beaten track, which might seem like a strange idea, but it was actually a deliberate decision. The idea was to allow the monks complete and utter freedom from the occasional pilgrim and wanderer popping in so that they could fully devote themselves to God’s teachings.

The monastery has quite a potted history. It has had to adapt with the times over the 650 years of its existence. Sadly, it all came to a  – temporary – end with the advent of mediatisation and secularisation in Germany between 1802 and 1814. Basically, after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire huge upheaval took place within the country and territories throughout Germany were completely restructured.

The monastery was dissolved in 1803 and the entire estate passed into the hands of the Princely House of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. A number of monks decided to relocate to some of the surviving monasteries, while some of the others chose to spend their twilight days away from the life of a monastery and remained in Bronnbach itself. The last monk to live in Bronnbach died in 1832.

The monastery was used for a variety of purposes. It was a brewery for a brief period, as well as administrative headquarters. Various construction work took place, but the existing fabric of the building remained largely untouched. Bronnbach even became a royal residence in 1855, when it became home to King Dom Miguel I of Portugal, who had been driven from his homeland and took refuge with his family here.

Several different monastic orders came and went between 1922 and the 1980s until, finally, the Main-Tauber district bought the entire complex in 1986. The monastery underwent various stages of renovation and was used for a variety of different purposes.

In 1989, the monastery was classified as a monument of exceptional national importance. It is still used for religious purposes and has since become a popular venue for weddings, concerts, seminars, wine tasting, guided tours and other events.

The choir stalls you can see in the photo were modelled on those to be seen in Mainz Cathedral and were carved by one of Bronnbach’s own monks.

For more information on Bronnbach Monastery (in German) see: https://www.kloster-bronnbach.de/Startseite.html

For information in english see: https://www.tourismus-wertheim.de/sights-culture/churches-monasteries-amp-chapels/monastery-bronnbach/?L=1