58 thousand days after the fire...
Thursday, 25 April 2024
Admont Abbey invites you to a special guided tour
Thursday, 27 April 1865, in the afternoon. A fire breaks out in a farm building in the centre of Admont, which quickly spreads to the neighbouring buildings and the Benedictine monastery. Twenty houses and large parts of the monastery with priceless works of art and furnishings are destroyed by the flames and several inhabitants are killed. However, the world-famous library was largely spared.
Today, 159 years later, the Benedictine Abbey of Admont offers special tours of the fire disaster. The statement made by a monk at the time seems particularly emotional: "Today, on 28 April, Admont no longer exists. Everything has been burnt down except for the library..."
Abbey archivist P. Maximilian Schiefermüller OSB describes the catastrophe in his book "Der Brand von 1865 und der Neubau des steirischen Benediktinerstiftes Admont". The author also quotes an eyewitness to the fire, Fr. Blitmund Tschurtschenthaler: "In a short time, both rows of houses from the centre of the market to the collegiate church and also the old Amandus Church were enveloped in a sea of fire...Suddenly the cry of terror rang out: The monastery is burning!"
The outcome after the chaos: after 5 days of fire, the library, the chapter house, the new building and the sacristies remained almost untouched. The convent very quickly decided in favour of a "new Admont". To this end, the remains of the medieval and baroque buildings were demolished and the neo-Gothic style was chosen as the contemporary architectural style for the collegiate church. The library and the early Baroque chapter house were left in the "silly Baroque" style - thank goodness.
The new collegiate church was consecrated in 1868. It is one of the most important neo-Gothic buildings in Austria.
Dates for special tours (both at 10:30 and 15:00):
Registrations at museum@stiftadmont.at or under +43 (0) 3613/2312-604
Sat, 27 April 2024
Sun, 28 April 2024
Wed, 01 May 2024
Thu, 02 May 2024
Book tip:
Maximilian Schiefermüller OSB
"The fire of 1865 and the new construction of the Styrian Benedictine Abbey of Admont"
