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{{Use dmy dates|date=September
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
| WHS = Benedictine Abbey of St. John at Müstair
| Image =
| | Type = Cultural
| State Party = [[Switzerland]]▼
|
| ID = 269
| Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe and North America]]
| Year = 1983
| Session = 7th
| Link =
| coordinates = {{coord|46|37|45|N|10|26|52|E|region:CH-GR_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}▼
| map_caption = Location in Switzerland
| Location = [[Santa Maria Val Müstair]] in [[Val Müstair]], [[Canton of Grisons|Graubünden]], [[Switzerland]]
| includes =
| Extension =
}}
The '''Abbey of Saint John''' ({{lang-
== History ==
[[File:Benediktinerkloster St. Johann Skulptur.JPG|thumb|upright|left|Statue of Charlemagne in the abbey church]]
The [[Charlemagne|Carolingian Renaissance]] is deeply in debt to the success of [[Charlemagne]] as a king and patron, and the driving force behind what we see
As a devout Christian, [[Charlemagne]] wished to further the ability for his people to be both educated in the teachings of the church, and for his kingdom to be stable. One of the many ways that he achieved this was through his patronage of many monasteries throughout the Frankish Kingdom. The monasteries served as a training ground for missionaries, who were to be sent to the newly conquered areas of his empire and effect their conversion to Christianity.<ref>M.M. Hilderbrant, the External School in Carolingian Society (Brill, Leiden 1992) p. 61</ref>
The Carolingian artisans were known to be skilled painters, jewelers, and goldsmiths.
It is believed that the abbey was established ca. 780 by a bishop of [[Chur]],<ref name=ICOMOS>[
In the 10th century, the church tower was added to the abbey church. During the expansion of the 11th century, the bishop of Chur enlarged his residence at the monastery. A fine [[Tower house|tower home]], [[cloister]], and the double chapel of St. Ulrich and St. Nicholas were added. During the expansion, the two-story residence chapel of the bishop was also decorated with extensive [[stucco]] and fresco work.<ref name="ICOMOS" /> At some time in the 12th century, the occupants of the abbey changed from [[monk]]s to [[nun]]s. This change is first mentioned in 1167, but it happened sometime before this date.<ref name="HDS" /> The first abbess known by name is [[Adelheid (abbess of Müstair)|Adelheid]], attested between 1211 and 1233.
The [[Swabian War]], which was an attempt by the [[House of Habsburg|
About 1500 the abbey church was modified from a single-[[nave]] [[Carolingian dynasty|Carolingian]] construction into a three-nave [[Gothic architecture|late Gothic]] church. Shortly thereafter, in 1524 and 1526, through the Ilanzer Articles, the [[League of God's House]] was able to weaken the temporal power of the bishop, which had the indirect effect of reducing the income of the abbey. Consequently, there was limited construction on the abbey following this.
In the spirit of the [[Council of Trent]] the bishop issued a series of reforms governing religious life between 1600
Throughout the history of the Abbey of Saint John there were conflicts between the Bishop of Chur, the [[Grey League]] and the [[House of Habsburg]]. The abbey's ruler, the [[abbess]], and the government authority, the [[vogt]], were often chosen by one of these three powers.
== Paintings ==
[[File:St Johann - 18.jpg|thumb|300px|Dinner of Herod Antipas with dancing Salome]]
During the 20th-century restoration works, some [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]] frescoes from the 1160s were discovered here. Other murals are dated to [[Charlemagne]]'s reign. The UNESCO recognized these as "Switzerland's greatest series of figurative murals, painted c. A.D. 800, along with Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes".<ref name="UNESCO List">[
The figures seen in the frescos of St Johns are of balanced and symmetrical composition, and throughout the church this creates a sense of story and rhythm. The artist’s rapid application of paint and his use of brightness are a means of drawing attention to certain images over others, and shows the complexity and sophistication of the artist's skill.
The original single [[nave]] church with five [[apse]]s has several significant [[Early Middle Ages]] [[fresco]]es from around 800. The paintings are organized in five rows that stretch from the southern wall across the west wall to the northern wall. The top row features scenes from the life of [[David|King David]] of the [[Hebrew Bible]]/[[Old Testament]]. The next three rows show scenes from the youth, life, and [[Passion (Christianity)|Passion]] of Christ. The bottom row contains scenes from the [[crucifixion]] of St. Andreas. On the western wall the rows are tied together with an image of the [[Last Judgment]].<ref name="Kulturfuhrer">{{cite book |author=Flüeler |first=Niklaus |title=Kulturführer Schweiz |
The importance of [[The Last Judgment]] is a substantial element in the power of the church over its congregation. What the fresco depicts is the end of the world, and the judgment that will befall all of mankind. Here people are assessed for their sins, and if they have asked forgiveness for their sins. Although it would be foolish to assume that all who visited the church at the time believed exactly what was depicted on its walls, we can draw conclusions about the messages the church was trying to portray about the importance of confession and a sense of self-assessment when it comes to the question of morality.
Many of the frescos were painted over and only some have been restored.
The apses and the eastern wall were repainted in the 12th century with [[Romanesque art|Romanesque]]
== Gallery ==
<gallery perrow="6">
File:Benediktinerkloster St. Johann.JPG|Benedictine Abbey of St. John
File:St Johann - 3.jpg|Abbey of St. John (2)
File:Muestair Kloster.jpg|Abbey of St. John
Line 69 ⟶ 73:
File:Meister von Müstair 002.jpg|Carolingian fresco showing Christ healing a deaf-mute
File:Benediktinerkloster St. Johann Relief.JPG|Stucco relief on the north wall of the abbey church
File:Last Judgment of Müstair.jpg|'''Last Judgment of Müstair'''
</gallery>
==See also==
* [[Iconography of Charlemagne]]
== Notes and references ==
{{
== External links ==
*{{
*{{HDS|11610}}
*[http://www.muestair.ch/ Kloster Müstair]
{{World Heritage Sites in Switzerland}}
{{Portal bar|Christianity|History|Switzerland}}
{{Authority control}}
▲{{coord|46|37|45|N|10|26|52|E|region:CH-GR_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John Abbey, Mustair}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Graubünden]]
[[Category:Museums in Graubünden]]
[[Category:History museums in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Religious museums in Switzerland]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Cultural property of national significance in Graubünden]]
[[Category:Christian monasteries established in the 8th century]]
[[Category:8th-century establishments in Switzerland]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:
▲[[Category:History museums in Switzerland]]
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