Schuttern Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Friesenheim, Germany.
Schuttern Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Friesenheim with a church whose foundations reveal multiple building phases spanning different centuries. Excavations conducted between 1972 and 1975 uncovered foundation structures in the church basement that visitors can view and examine.
The monastery was founded in 603 by Irish monk Offo and was initially called Offoniscella before adopting the Benedictine Rule in the 8th century. This transformation connected it to the broader monastic movement spreading across Europe.
The monastery served as a center for manuscript production, with skilled scribes creating important religious texts within its walls. Visitors today can sense this intellectual heritage through the surviving works that originated here.
The site is accessible, but note that the church is dark and partly underground where archaeological finds are displayed. Allow enough time to thoroughly explore the foundations and preserved structures.
The monastery floor contains a medieval mosaic depicting Cain and Abel that is considered the oldest figurative floor mosaic in Germany. This artistic work from early times stands as a remarkable example of medieval mosaic craftsmanship and reflects the artistic skills of the community.
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