Baroque gem and Götz von Berlichingen's burial place
Schöntal Monastery
Schöntal Monastery, detail, ceiling painting

Insights into the history of SchöntalThe exhibition onmonastery history

The Information Center in the Old Abbey is a starting point for monastery visitors. This is where the monastery's history exhibition is housed. Monastery tours, special tours and other Schöntal Monastery cultural events can also be booked there.

Fountain for washing hands in the former dining hall of Schöntal Monastery

Don’t forget to wash your hands!

Dining hall with a hand fountain

The Old Abbey was built between 1617 and 1618. It housed a spacious hall, which the monks used as a refectory, or dining hall. This is where the permanent exhibition on the monastery's history is now housed. The rooms original purpose can still be seen in the beautifully sculpted hand fountain attached to the wall, built in 1697 by Matthäus Fritsch. The fountain is crowned by the Schöntal coat of arms, at the center of which is a club, the coat of arms of Abbot Benedikt Knittel who commissioned this fountain for washing hands.

Portrait of Abbot Knittel

Portrait of Abbot Knittel.

An absolute must

A portrait of Abbot Benedikt Knittel hangs in the monastery's permanent history exhibition. During his 49-year term, he shaped the Schöntal Monastery more than any other abbot. The portrait, painted by Giovanni Battista Ferradini around 1727, shows the abbot with examples of his successful reign. In the background, to the right and left, are Ebersberg Palace by Backnang, the Chapel of the Holy Cross on the Kreuzberg, and the Baroque Schöntal Monastery.

Historic lithograph of Schöntal Monastery

Schöntal Monastery in the 19th century.

Delve into monastery history

Schöntal’s founding myth, information about the people who lived at the monastery, or aspects of the monastery's art history can all be found in the permanent exhibition. Also of interest, are the original uses of the outbuildings in the monastery courtyard. Interesting exhibit items: architectural fragments of the building that preceded the monastery church, a holy water basin from the monastery church, or the original statue of Saint John of Nepomuk from the bridge across the Jagst river.

Also of interest

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