Zwiefalten Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Zwiefalten, Germany.
Zwiefalten Abbey is a Baroque monastery in Baden-Württemberg with a grand church at its heart. The walls and ceilings showcase intricate hand-painted frescoes that fill the spacious interior with color and detail.
The monastery was founded in 1089 and gradually became an important religious center in the region. Over time it gained independence, eventually becoming a free abbey in the 18th century.
The monastery served as a learning center where monks copied and collected books for centuries. The rooms where this scholarly work took place still shape how the place looks and feels today.
The building sits in a rural area south of Reutlingen and is easy to spot from the surroundings. Keep in mind that parts of the complex still serve as a hospital today, while the church remains open to visitors.
In its early years the monastery operated as a double-abbey where monks and nuns lived together, which was quite unusual. This arrangement made the place an example of a rare form of monastic life during that period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.