Tegernsee Abbey

The former monastery and today’s parish church of St. Quirin stands in the center of the building complex. The oldest remains here are part of the crypt and the untethered western double-tower facade, which may still date back to a new construction of the monastery in 980. The abbey church, built in the 10th century in Carolingian style, was transformed into a Romanesque basilica in the 11th century, which in turn was transformed into a Gothic church in the 15th century – between 1455 and 1460. The large three-nave basilica (no transept) was completed in 1476 and still structurally forms the core of the monastery church. The interior of the roof truss and the two west towers on the bell floor are also still characterized by the masonry of that time. In addition, the roof trusses of the spires are still present, although changed in their external form.

Following the plans of Enrico Zuccalli, the baroqueization of the church began in 1678, during which a crossing and a transept were also added. Until about 1690 Hans Georg Asam also created the rich stuccowork and the elaborate picture program in the vault. The monastery complex, which surrounds the church, is still a four-winged complex with plasterwork and two inner courtyards, as it was built by Enrico Zuccalli and from 1689 to 1736 by Antonio Riva, Johann Schmuzer and Johann Baptist Gunetzrhainer.

From 1678, according to the plans of Enrico Zuccalli, the baroqueization of the church took place, adding also a crossing and a transept. At that time, the rich stucco-work and the complex picture program in the vault by Hans Georg Asam were created until around 1690. Today, the monastery complex surrounding the church is a four-winged complex with a plaster structure that includes two inner courtyards. The complex was built in 1678 according to an ideal plan by Enrico Zuccalli and from 1689 to 1736 by Antonio Riva, Johann Schmuzer and Johann Baptist Gunetzrhainer.

Unfortunately, even the Baroque furnishings are hardly preserved today. Of the original 17 altars only five are preserved and only two side chapel altars in the style of that time. The altars in the transept were reworked in the classical style and the high altar mixes both styles with its baroque finish of the psalli choir in the lower part and the classical painted altarpiece in the lower part. Unfortunately, since 1803 the choir stalls, the high altar in the psalm choir and eleven other altars have disappeared.

When the monastery was abolished, significant parts of the complex were then demolished. These include the large staircase, the stables, and the guest apartments that formerly surrounded the courtyard in front of the church façade. In 1820, the eastern psalm choir in the church was detached and redesigned by Leo von Klenze, who transformed the entire complex into a royal summer palace. This complex also includes the former Secretum – the so-called Apothekerstöckl – which is a two-story hipped roof building with rusticated entrance risalit from the 18th century.

Also worth seeing is the monument in honor of Queen Caroline, built in the south of the monastery complex in 1870 by Johann von Halbig and now a protected monument. The former Ebertshausen Castle and the Kaltbrunn estate were also part of the monastery’s property for a time.

FLORIAN HARTMANN