Münster Frauenchiemsee

Münster Frauenchiemsee is a church on Fraueninsel island in Bavaria's Chiemsee lake, featuring a separate bell tower standing beside the main building. The structure displays Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements that reveal its long construction history.

The convent was founded around 772 and became one of the earliest religious communities for women in German-speaking lands. The church underwent multiple reconstructions and expansions over the centuries to reach its present form.

The church serves as the heart of a convent where women have lived and prayed for centuries. Their daily presence shapes the spiritual atmosphere of this place today.

The island is accessible only by regular ferry service from the mainland during the season. The site is small and works best when explored at a slow pace, taking time to walk around the grounds.

Beneath the current church, archaeologists discovered the remains of an older octagonal Romanesque structure, showing that churches of different periods were built on top of each other at this location. These findings reveal how the building layers here tell a story of continuous religious practice.