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- Heiligenkreuz Abbey
Heiligenkreuz Abbey is the largest active Cistercian monastery in Europe, located in Austria, in the southern part of the Vienna Woods, 25 kilometers from the city of Vienna and 13 kilometers from Baden. Heiligenkreuz was founded in 1133 by Margrave Leopold III the Saint at the request of his son Otto, abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Morimond, located in France, in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Heiligenkreuz thus became a subsidiary monastery of the French abbey in Austria. In the same year, the monastery was consecrated in honor of the Holy Cross, and in 1187, Duke Leopold V of Austria gave Heiligenkreuz Abbey a priceless relic - a cross with a particle of the Life-Giving Cross, which is kept here to this day. By the end of the 12th century, the monastery had turned into a thriving abbey; its patrons were representatives of the ruling dynasty of the Dukes of Babenberg in Austria and the kings of Hungary. At this time, the monastery building was rebuilt in the early Gothic style, the territory of the abbey was significantly increased - a monastery church, an Assembly Hall, a monastery, a refectory and outbuildings were erected. In the 13th-15th centuries, the period of prosperity gave way to decline - Heiligenkreuz Abbey often suffered from severe fires, enemy invasions and plague epidemics. The monastery suffered great damage during the Turkish wars of 1529 and 1683 - Heiligenkreuz was besieged by the Turkish army and set on fire, in which the rich monastery library was destroyed. After the expulsion of the Turks from Austria, the abbey was restored, many of the monastery buildings at that time were rebuilt in the Baroque style. In the 18th century, the territory of the monastery increased significantly, new buildings were erected (Chapel of Anna, Chapel of the Dead, Fountain House, Sacristy, Column of the Holy Trinity), the medieval church and the old monastery gate were restored, and the library was restored. It seemed that everything was going well in the life of the abbey again, but at the end of the 18th century, during the reign of Emperor Joseph II, who abolished many monasteries and religious orders in Austria, Heiligenkreuz was under threat of closure. The admission of new novices to the abbey was prohibited for 10 years, after which only 48 monks remained in the monastery. During the National Socialist rule in Austria (1938-1945), the property of Heiligenkreuz Abbey was confiscated and many monks were arrested. After the end of World War II, the monastery began to be restored and gradually regained its former glory as one of the most important religious centers in Europe. Currently, 98 monks live in Heiligenkreuz, the Philosophical and Theological Higher School and theological college operate at the monastery, and the abbey choir, which has preserved the traditions of Gregorian chant, has gained worldwide fame. Among the main attractions of the abbey is the monastery church in the Roman-Gothic style, built in the 12th-13th centuries. The oldest parts of the temple (facade, nave and transept) are made in the Romanesque style, the magnificent choir in the Gothic style and stained glass windows appeared in the church in the 13th century, and in the 18th century a bell tower in the Baroque style was added to the church. The interior of the church is extremely strict, but very solemn - huge stained glass windows, a large organ and high vaults. The Assembly Hall contains the tombs of thirteen members of the Babenberg dynasty, including Margrave Leopold IV, Duke Leopold V, Duke Frederick I and Duke Frederick II. A separate chapel houses the relics of St. Otto of Freisingen, considered the founder of the abbey. Also noteworthy are the Chapel of the Dead with statues of “dancing” skeletons, the Fountain House with magnificent Gothic stained glass windows, the monastery library with more than 50,000 rare volumes and folios, the Baroque sacristy and the old monastery gates. The courtyard of the abbey is decorated with a baroque column of the Holy Trinity and many sculptures and statues, created by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Giuliani. More than 150,000 tourists visit Heiligenkreuz every year; fascinating excursions are conducted for visitors to the monastery in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Russian and Japanese. You can only visit Heiligenkreuz Abbey as part of a guided tour.
