Kremsmünster Abbey

Kremsmünster, in common with other religious houses, then fell into a decline, which was halted by the action of bishop Altmann of Passau, who brought a community from Gottesau and introduced the reformed observance of Cluny into the abbey.

After it became known as one of the most flourishing houses in Germany, "excelling all other abbeys" stated an anonymous chronicler, "in observance and piety, also in respect to its lands, buildings, books, paintings, and other possessions, and in the number of its members prominent in learning and in art".

The monastic library was famous, and drew eminent scholars to Kremsmünster, where several important historical works were written, including histories of the bishops of Passau and of the dukes of Bavari, and the chronicles of the abbey itself.

Abbot Gregor Lechner (1543–1558), towards the middle of the 16th century, made the monastic school, previously private, into a public school and did much to preserve Catholicism in the district, where the Protestant doctrines had become widely prevalent—to the extent that his successor, Abbot Weiner (1558–1565), favoured them and thus introduced dissension into the abbey, dissension that risked developing into serious disruption.

Towards the end of the 18th century the policy of Emperor Joseph II with regard to the religious houses of his empire threatened to close Kremsmünster, like many others, but it was fortunate enough to escape.

The abbey also played a role in the end of World War II, as it was here that on May 8, 1945, the exiled Slovak government capitulated to General Walton Walker leading the XX Corps of the 3rd US Army.

There is an interesting collection of objects of natural history in the lower part of the observatory, which is eight stories high; and features a series of fis -tanks decorated with statues and a colonnade.

Of especial note is the Baroque high altar, created by Johann Andreas Wolf in 1712, after twelve years of design and preparation.

The angels by Johann Michael Zürn the younger, who kneel and stand at the numerous side-altars, are also impressive examples of the Austrian Baroque.

The church also contains the celebrated Grave of Gunther, a cenotaph which originally had been placed in front of the high altar, and in its current form dates from sometime prior to 1304.

[4] While further charges against two of the three accused priests were dropped due to expiration of the statute of limitations, there followed three years of investigations in almost 30 cases against August Mandorfer (Father Alfons), the former director of the boarding school.

[6] In July 2013 ,an Austrian court found Mandorfer guilty in 24 documented cases of child abuse and sexual violence,and sentenced the now defrocked priest to twelve years in prison.