Engelszell Abbey

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Abbey church front

Engelszell Abbey (Stift Engelszell) is the only Trappist monastery in Austria, and is located near Engelhartszell an der Donau in the Innviertel in Upper Austria.

The abbey was founded in 1293 by Bishop Bernhard of Prambach as a Cistercian monastery, settled by monks from Wilhering Abbey. In 1786 it was dissolved by Emperor Joseph II. It was re-founded as a Trappist monastery in 1925.

Engelszell Abbey church, built 1754-1764, is an impressive church in the Rococo style, with a tower 76 metres high. The interior contains notable works of art works by Bartolomeo Altomonte, Joseph Deutschmann and the stuccoist Johann Georg Üblher. After structural damage in about 1957 the ceiling of the nave was repainted with a contemporary work by Fritz Fröhlich.

The monastery has become known both for its liqueurs and for its cheese, Engelszeller Trappistenkäse.

Since 1995 the abbot has been Marianus Hauseder. As at 2007, the number of monks in the community was 8.

[edit] Sources and references

Engelszell Abbey (ed. and publ.), 1932: Abtei Engelszell an der Donau. Passau: Gogeißl. (German)
Natschläger, Walter, 2006: Übersichtliche Geschichte des Cistercienserstiftes Engelszell. Engelhartszell. (German)
Reisacher, Mathias, 1840: Topographie des Erzherzogthums Oesterreich, oder Darstellung der Entstehung der Städte, Märkte, Dörfer. Das Decanat St. Johann im Mühl-Kreis, sammt den Stiften Wilhering und Engelszell in dem Decanate Peyerbach. Vienna: Wimmer. (German)