Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Calw

Twenty years after Pope Leo IX had asked his nephew Count Adalbert of Calw to rebuild the ruined abbay St. Aurelius, this abbey got a young abbot. Wilhem von Hirsau (aka "William of Hirsau"), educated at St. Emmeram in Regensburg, a very well known "thinktank". Immidietly tried to gain independence of all secular powers for the abbey. At that time, he was probably influenced by the idea, that had spread from Gorze Abbey in Lorraine. He was a strong supporter of the Pope during the Investiture Controversy. Already in 1082 he commissioned the building of a new monastery on a nearby high plateau. In 1091 the abbey church, modelled on Cluny II and dedicated to Peter an Paul, got consecrated. The convent followed 1092 and moved into a monastic compound designed according to the Plan of Saint Gall. Wilhelm´s friend Ulrich (aka "Ulrich von Zell", "Ulrich von Cluny"), a schoolmate from St. Emmeram, had made carreer in Burgundy and was an advisor to Abbot Hugh of Cluny. So the Cluniac reform found their way into the Black Forest. Based on them Wilhelm wrote down the "Consuetudines Hirsauginenses". Known as the "Hirsau Reforms", the adoption of these rules revitalised Benedictine life throughout Germany - and were followed by far more than 100 monasteries. Based on a thriving economy most of the romanesque buildings (but not the church!) were demolished and got replaced by gothic style structures. Shortly after that, the Reformation put an end to the abbey in 1536, when the monks had to leave - and a Protestant school was opend here (just like in Maulbronn!). The "Duke of Wuerttemberg" replaced the old abbot´s house by a posh hunting palace around 1590. During the Nine Years' War (aka "War of the Palatine Succession") the infamous General Ezéchiel de Mélac burnt the abbey down (like he did with Heidelberg, Worms, Speyer..). The ruins were used as a quarry - and so there is not really much left of this great and important abbey. There are carved friezes around the "Eulenturm", just seen. This is maybe the most mysterious one. A well dressed, bearded man in the center seems to sit on a chair (or throne?). While on the other friezes were billy goats, here the animal to his left seems to be a ram. To the right a wheel with four spokes, beside the torso of a bald man. The whole group flanked by lions again. As Wilhelm of Hirsau in his early years wrote treatises on astronomy - some historians connect the friezes to that subject. Well, I doubt that, but I have no better idea...

Twenty years after Pope Leo IX had asked his nephew Count Adalbert of Calw to rebuild the ruined abbay St. Aurelius, this abbey got a young abbot. Wilhem von Hirsau (aka "William of Hirsau"), educated at St. Emmeram in Regensburg, a very well known "thinktank". Immidietly tried to gain independence of all secular powers for the abbey. At that time, he was probably influenced by the idea, that had spread from Gorze Abbey in Lorraine. He was a strong supporter of the Pope during the Investiture Controversy. Already in 1082 he commissioned the building of a new monastery on a nearby high plateau. In 1091 the abbey church, modelled on Cluny II and dedicated to Peter an Paul, got consecrated. The convent followed 1092 and moved into a monastic compound designed according to the Plan of Saint Gall. Wilhelm´s friend Ulrich (aka "Ulrich von Zell", "Ulrich von Cluny"), a schoolmate from St. Emmeram, had made carreer in Burgundy and was an advisor to Abbot Hugh of Cluny. So the Cluniac reform found their way into the Black Forest. Based on them Wilhelm wrote down the "Consuetudines Hirsauginenses". Known as the "Hirsau Reforms", the adoption of these rules revitalised Benedictine life throughout Germany - and were followed by far more than 100 monasteries. Based on a thriving economy most of the romanesque buildings (but not the church!) were demolished and got replaced by gothic style structures. Shortly after that, the Reformation put an end to the abbey in 1536, when the monks had to leave - and a Protestant school was opend here (just like in Maulbronn!). The "Duke of Wuerttemberg" replaced the old abbot´s house by a posh hunting palace around 1590. During the Nine Years' War (aka "War of the Palatine Succession") the infamous General Ezéchiel de Mélac burnt the abbey down (like he did with Heidelberg, Worms, Speyer..). The ruins were used as a quarry - and so there is not really much left of this great and important abbey. There are carved friezes around the "Eulenturm", just seen. This is one of them. A well-dressed Atlas, two billy goats beside him (here symmetrical). Lions at the corners of the tower. As Wilhelm of Hirsau in his early years wrote treatises on astronomy - some historians connect the friezes to that subject. Well, I doubt that, but I have no better idea..

Twenty years after Pope Leo IX had asked his nephew Count Adalbert of Calw to rebuild the ruined abbay St. Aurelius, this abbey got a young abbot. Wilhem von Hirsau (aka "William of Hirsau"), educated at St. Emmeram in Regensburg, a very well known "thinktank". Immidietly tried to gain independence of all secular powers for the abbey. At that time, he was probably influenced by the idea, that had spread from Gorze Abbey in Lorraine. He was a strong supporter of the Pope during the Investiture Controversy. Already in 1082 he commissioned the building of a new monastery on a nearby high plateau. In 1091 the abbey church, modelled on Cluny II and dedicated to Peter an Paul, got consecrated. The convent followed 1092 and moved into a monastic compound designed according to the Plan of Saint Gall. Wilhelm´s friend Ulrich (aka "Ulrich von Zell", "Ulrich von Cluny"), a schoolmate from St. Emmeram, had made carreer in Burgundy and was an advisor to Abbot Hugh of Cluny. So the Cluniac reform found their way into the Black Forest. Based on them Wilhelm wrote down the "Consuetudines Hirsauginenses". Known as the "Hirsau Reforms", the adoption of these rules revitalised Benedictine life throughout Germany - and were followed by far more than 100 monasteries. Based on a thriving economy most of the romanesque buildings (but not the church!) were demolished and got replaced by gothic style structures. Shortly after that, the Reformation put an end to the abbey in 1536, when the monks had to leave - and a Protestant school was opend here (just like in Maulbronn!). The "Duke of Wuerttemberg" replaced the old abbot´s house by a posh hunting palace around 1590. During the Nine Years' War (aka "War of the Palatine Succession") the infamous General Ezéchiel de Mélac burnt the abbey down (like he did with Heidelberg, Worms, Speyer..). The ruins were used as a quarry - and so there is not really much left of this great and important abbey. Only one of the two towers, that once flanked the abbey church, is left. The church had nine bays and a lenght of 70 meters, when it was completed in 1091. The towers were added 1120, when the church was enlarged by four additional bays. The "Eulenurm" (= "Owl´s Tower"), seen here, is 37 meters high.

A monastery was founded in Hirsau already about 830 at the instigation of Bishop Notting of Vercelli (Piedmont/Italy), who gave it the relics of Saint Aurelius. The first monks, disciples of Rabanus Maurus and Walafrid Strabo, came from Fulda Abbey. The first church on this place, dedicated to St. Aurelius, was completed around 10 years later. The monastery prospered for about 150 years, before plague, greed, rivalry and laxity ruined it completely. In 1049 Pope Leo IX, uncle of local Count Adalbert of Calw ,came to Hirsau, and asked his nephew to restore the abbey. So Adalbert had the abbey church rebuilt, but the renovation took very long. Already in 1092 the monks moved out here - and into the new Sts Peter and Paul Abbey, not even a mile away. The abbey buildings again fell into ruins and most got demolished after the Reformation. The church seen here is only a torso. It has been used as a stable, barn even a gymnastic hall, before it got renovated and since then serves as a church again. Standing in the nave of St. Aurelius, facing east. This was - once - a "classic basilica" with a high central nave and two lower aisles. The two rows of massive pillars are left remains of that structure. The (new) flat ceiling is probably near to the orginal state.

A monastery was founded in Hirsau about 830 at the instigation of Bishop Notting of Vercelli (Piedmont/Italy), who gave it the relics of Saint Aurelius. The first monks, disciples of Rabanus Maurus and Walafrid Strabo, came from Fulda Abbey. The first church on this place, dedicated to St. Aurelius, was completed around 10 years later. The monastery prospered for about 150 years, before plague, greed, rivalry and laxity ruined it completely. In 1049 Pope Leo IX, uncle of local Count Adalbert of Calw, came to Hirsau, and asked his nephew to restore the abbey. So Adalbert had the abbey church rebuilt, but the renovation took very long. Already in 1092 the monks moved out here - and into the new Sts Peter and Paul Abbey, not even a mile away. The abbey buildings again fell into ruins and most got demolished after the Reformation. The church seen here is only a torso. It has been used as a stable, barn even a gymnastic hall, before it got renovated and since then serves as a church again. St. Aurelius, seen from east, makes clear, that this is a torso of the former structure. The foundations of the choir and the crossing as found by archeologists can be seen in the lawn. The nice half timbered building to the left houses the "Klostermuseum Hirsau", that unfortunately closes already at 4pm. www.calw.de/servlet/PB/menu/1151524/index.html

A monastery was founded in Hirsau about 830 at the instigation of Bishop Notting of Vercelli (Piedmont/Italy), who gave it the relics of Saint Aurelius. The first monks, disciples of Rabanus Maurus and Walafrid Strabo, came from Fulda Abbey. The first church on this place, dedicated to St. Aurelius, was completed around 10 years later. The monastery prospered for about 150 years, before plague, greed, rivalry and laxity ruined it completely. In 1049 Pope Leo IX, uncle of local Count Adalbert of Calw, came to Hirsau, and asked his nephew to restore the abbey. So Adalbert had the abbey church rebuilt, but the renovation took very long. Already in 1092 the monks moved out here - and into the new Sts Peter and Paul Abbey, not even a mile away. The abbey buildings again fell into ruins and most got demolished after the Reformation. The church seen here is only a torso. It has been used as a stable, barn even a gymnastic hall, before it got renovated and since then serves as a church again.