This Augustinian abbey, one that was very important in the Middle Ages, is a place of both tranquility and agricultural production; it also houses art treasures and pleasant gardens in which traditional medicinal herbs blend with multicoloured blooms.
This impressive abbey complex, founded in 1142 at the gates of Bressanone, features a historic garden of around one hectare in size. It reopened to the public in 2004, after painstaking restoration by the Superintendence of Bolzano. The south-facing garden is bordered on one side by the monastery’s north facade, and on the other three sides by perimeter walls, protecting the space from harsh weather conditions. Without doubt, the complex had a vegetable garden from its earliest days, but no trace of it exists today. The current arrangement dates back to the 17th century when, after a period of decline, the abbey was enlarged and adapted to the new Baroque style. An enormous sequoia and two Ginkgo biloba trees mark the entrance to the garden, which is divided into three sloping terraces: a formal portion with flowerbeds bordered by boxwood and mixtures of crop and ornamental plants, in the Renaissance tradition, divided by avenues along which two fountains with overlapping pools are to be found; separated by a latticework pergola of vines is a herb garden in which about 75 different varieties are cultivated, including more familiar species such as St. John’s wort and cerulean fenugreek, and exotic herbs such as lemon grass, melon-scented sage, Mexican mint and tobacco. An orchard of heirloom varieties was planted during renovations. The arched windows on the building facade facing the garden were originally the openings of an orangery. An aviary lies on the far side of the monastery.
Highlights
The "Pozzo delle Meraviglie"
An elegant octagonal pavilion on columns, topped by a slender spire, stands in a courtyard. In the lunettes, painter Nikolaus Schiel depicted the seven wonders of the ancient world, adding the abbey itself as the eighth.
Vineyards and Cellar
The abbey is surrounded by land where, despite the steepness and high altitude (between 600 and 900 metres), white grapes famous for their particular spicy and fragrant notes are grown. The cellar was built at the same time as the Abbey was founded.
The Basilica
The church dedicated to the Assumption is characterized by the “baroque” modifications made between 1735 and 1744: rich stuccowork by Anton Gigl, frescoes by Mathäus Günther of scenes from the life of St. Augustine and eminent canons make this place a veritable “theatrum sacrum”.
Library and Picture Gallery
Designed by Giuseppe Sartori and completed in 1778, this 70,000-volume library is among the most beautiful and prestigious in the Tyrol-Bavaria area. The shelving is topped off with finely-carved wooden crowns. The Pinacoteca houses a valuable collection of paintings on panels and 15th and early-16th century altars by leading artists of the day.