St. Georgen Monastery - one of the cultural and historical gems of the Lake Constance region
The former Benedictine monastery of St. Georgen presents itself in an astonishingly good state of preservation and enchants its visitors with its romantic grounds and outstanding art-historical treasures.
History: From 1005, the Benedictines built this monastery complex on the foundations of a Roman fort and bridgehead. The last three abbots before the Reformation extended the complex with representative new buildings until 1522. Important craftsmen and artists, including Ambrosius Holbein, furnished the abbey with unique art treasures. Virtually in a new state of the art north of the Alps, the monastery was dissolved in the course of the Reformation in 1525. Unique: spared from the Reformation iconoclasm, the complex was completely preserved.
As a sparsely staged museum, the monastery enchants with late medieval charm, authentic condition and outstandingly well-preserved art treasures.
Art treasures: In its heyday, the monastery was decorated with rich panelling and carvings as well as numerous wall paintings that bear witness to the wealth and education of the last monks.The main art-historical attraction is a fresco cycle with the earliest and most important Renaissance paintings north of the Alps, which give a fascinating impression of the living world of the late Middle Ages.
Sightseeing:
Monastery museum with enclosure and gardens: April, May, September, October Tue-Sun 10am-5pmJune, July, August 11am-6pm independent tour (approx. 30min)The former monastery church has been a Reformed town church since 1525 and is open all year.
Special feature: magnificent gardens with splendid flowerbeds, monastic medicinal herb garden and fantastic views of the Rhine, Untersee and Werd Island.
Guided tours on request (email or call the monastery museum).
Location & Arrival: The monastery grounds with museum are located next to the Rhine bridge on the northern bank.Distance to Stein am Rhein railway station 500 metres.Â
Regional trains run from Winterthur and Schaffhausen. From the Stein am Rhein boat landing stage, the Sankt Georgen monastery is about a three-minute walk upstream (250m).
Parking spaces: Stein am Rhein has large car parks close to the centre: Neumühle (north-east) and Untertor (west) both 300m from the monastery museum (approx. 1 Fr.
with camper and more places for high season: west of the centre.
Attention parking directly in the centre is more expensive and only 2h.
