Gandersheim - Abbey

The abbey in Gandersheim was founded by Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty in 852. the abbey was founded as a house of secular canonesses, unmarried daughters of the high nobility, and the first three abesses were daughters of Liudolf and his wife Oda. The first church on this place got consecrated here before 900.

The abbey existed upto 1810, though since 1568 the canonesses were lutherian. During the 10th century the "first female german poet", better "the first female artist using german language to create poetry" has lived here as a canoness: Hrosvita of Gandersheim.

Even after more than 1000 years, Hrosvita is still very well remembered by Amazon:
www.amazon.de/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=hrotsvit+von+gander...

Gandersheim received the market and tax rights in 990 from Empress Theophanu, wife of late Otto II, mother of Otto III, another very important woman of the time. Theophanu´s daughter Adelheid I and two of her granddaughters were abbesses here.

Luidolf brought relics from a pilgrimage to Rome to Gandersheim, so the church is still "St.Anastasius and St. Innocent". Meanwhile it is used by the by the Evangelical-Lutheran parish of Gandersheim.

As the abbey here was a former house of secular canonesses, of whom at least most came out of the high nobility, it is no wonder - that the boss depicts a lady. A very friendly lady wearing a crown over a veil. Blue eyes wide open she faces the visitor below her.

The vaults of the side chapel are gothic, so her name may be - Ermegardis of Schwalenberg, abess here 1357/58. Or Lutgard III of Hammerstein, abess 1359/1402. Or Sophia III, Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg , abess 1402/12. Or.... The list of noble abesses is really long.