Nonnberg Abbey

Nonnberg Abbey
Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg, Austria
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic Church
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	714
Status	Convent
Location
Location	Salzburg, Austria
State	Salzburg
Architecture
Type	Monastery
Style	Romanesque, Gothic
Founder	Saint Rupert of Salzburg

Nonnberg Abbey (German: Stift Nonnberg) is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.

History

It was founded ca. 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg and is the oldest women's religious house in the German-speaking world. Its first abbess was Saint Erentrudis of Salzburg, who was either a niece or a sister of Saint Rupert.

The abbey's endowment was provided by Theodbert, Duke of Bavaria, and augmented by Emperor Henry II, who was also Duke of Bavaria.

The abbey was independent of the founding house from 987 and was re-built in about 1000. This building was largely destroyed in a fire of 1423. Reconstruction took place between 1464 and 1509. In 1624 the church was enlarged by the addition of three side chapels. A refurbishment in the Baroque style took place in the 1880s.

Through Maria Augusta Kutschera, later Maria Augusta von Trapp, who was a postulant in the abbey after World War I and whose life was the basis for the film The Sound of Music, the abbey has acquired international fame. The Mother Abbess during Maria's time at Nonnberg was Sister Virgilia Lütz (1869-1949).

Commemorative coin

The Abbey was recently selected as main motif for the Austrian Nonnberg Abbey commemorative coin minted on April 5, 2006. This was the first coin of the series "Great Abbeys of Austria". It shows the Benedictine convent of Nonnberg Abbey. On the hilltop in the background, the castle of Hohensalzburg and the Kajetaner church can be seen.

Gallery

• 
  Nonnberg Abbey
• 
  Euro gold and silver commemorative coin

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Franz Esterl: Chronik des adeligen Benediktiner-Frauen-Stiftes Nonnberg in Salzburg, Salzburg, 1841 (at Google Books, in German)

External links

• Nonnberg Abbey at Sacred Destinations
• Stift Nonnberg at Visit-Salzburg
• Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg at UNESCO