Kleinlützel Priory

Kleinlützel Priory was a small religious house at Kleinlützel, a community in the district of Thierstein in the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.

Contents

History

The early history of the priory is poorly documented. In about 1136-1138 a small women's religious community, the Minor Lucella, was established[1]. There is no firm evidence that this was a Cistercian nunnery, but the similarity of names strongly suggests that it was a foundation of, or subordinate to, the Cistercian Lützel Abbey (Lucella), which clearly had a connection with the place [2]. The establishment was transferred in 1264 to the Augustinian Canons of the Stift St. Leonhard in Basle[2]. In 1486 it became a house of Augustinian Canonesses, who relocated in 1494 or 1495 to Schwarzenthann, until their community was suppressed in 1530[2]. The buildings at Kleinlützel suffered serious damage during the Swabian War (1499) and were destroyed in 1525 during the wars of the peasants[3].

Lützel Abbey seems to have taken possession of the buildings in 1505, and after 1525 to have rebuilt at least some of them, including the chapel which still stands, along with some of the service buildings[3].

Notes

  1. ^ near the present "Klösterli"
  2. ^ a b c Helvetia Sacra
  3. ^ a b Kleinlützel in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

Sources and external links

References