Rottenbuch

Monestary of St. Peter & Paul and St. Mary

This Augustinian (Canon Regular) order monastery was consecrated in 1073 by Duke Welf IV (Guelph IV.) of Bavaria. The 11th century romanesque basilica was later expanded in gothic style and finally redecorated in the Rococo style in the mid-18th by Joseph Schmuzer of the world famous Wessobrunn school . During the Secularization period (in 1802-1803), the monastery was dissolved, and people from neighbouring villages (esp. Aarau) acquired most of the buildings for demolition and use as building material. Only with great difficulty could the church and some of the outer buildings of the monestary be saved. The monestary's library was largely dissolved landed in the paper mill (eary recycling!). Finally, in 1963, the Don Bosco sisters received the reconscrated buildings for use as a cloister.