Schäftlarn Abbey, Premonstratensian monastery in Schäftlarn, Germany.
Schäftlarn Abbey is a Premonstratensian monastery in a small village southwest of Munich featuring baroque buildings constructed in the early 1700s. The complex includes a church with two towers, monastic buildings arranged around courtyards, and numerous rooms dedicated to prayer, work, and daily community life.
The monastery was founded in 701 and developed over centuries as a religious and cultural center for the region. In the early 1700s it received its present baroque appearance through a major reconstruction directed by architect Giovanni Antonio Viscardi.
The monastery remains a working religious community where Premonstratensian canons follow their monastic traditions in the same spaces as their predecessors. Visitors can observe how daily spiritual life unfolds within these walls and how the place continues to serve as a center for prayer and contemplation.
The monastery welcomes visitors who want to explore the church and parts of the grounds, usually on specific days of the week. Being just 25 kilometers from Munich, it is easily accessible by car or public transport.
The monastery holds a notable library containing historical manuscripts and rare books that visitors with special interest can examine. This collection documents centuries of knowledge and spiritual tradition of the Premonstratensian order.
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