Buchau Abbey

Buchau Abbey is a former double monastery in Bad Buchau with a neoclassical church decorated inside with refined stucco work by Johann Joseph Christian. The building complex follows the design of architect Pierre Michel d'Ixnard and sits near Federsee lake in Upper Swabian countryside.

The monastery was founded in 770 and gained status as an imperial abbey in 1347 with voting rights at the Imperial Diet. The community survived until secularization in 1803 after shaping the region for more than a millennium.

Double monastery housing both religious women and canons, revered since its founding by noble families and locals. The community shaped the spiritual and social life of the Upper Swabian region for centuries.

The complex sits right by Federsee lake in Bad Buchau and is easily reached from town. Visitors can explore the abbey church with its artworks while enjoying the natural setting of the lake.

The abbess of Buchau was one of the few women in the Holy Roman Empire to hold an official seat in the imperial assembly. This power and independence made the abbey one of the most influential female-led institutions of its time.

Location: Bad Buchau

Inception: 1347

Architects: Johann Caspar Bagnato, Pierre-Michel d'Ixnard

GPS coordinates: 48.06750,9.61160

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:56