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Cornwall Morganeering Copyright

 

Kloster Neustift
Abbazia di Novacella

 

Abbazia di Novacella is a cultural treasure nestled in the foothills surrounding Brixen, South Tyrol. Founded in 1142 — more than 880 years ago — it is among the most stunning historic destinations in the Alps, amid the rolling vineyards and forested slopes of the region.

Anyone admiring Abbazia di Novacella (also known as “Neustift Monastery”, “Kloster Neustift and “Abbey of Novacella”) from near or far, will be immediately struck by its architectural splendor spanning centuries. The estate boasts a labyrinth of structures and courtyards showcasing Gothic, Baroque and Rococo designs through the ages.

In 1142 the beatified bishop Hartmann founded the Neustift Augustian Abbey near his Brixen's bishop's seat. The monastery has become an important religious and cultural centre ever since its foundation. Its history is seen in the architecture and works of art from the Middle Ages to the preset day.

 

The Castle of the Holy Angel
Le Chateau Saint-Ange

The Castle of the Holy Angel is a two-storey round chapel dating from around 1200 and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Tyrol. It is traditionally taught to have been the chapel of the pilgrim hostel founded by Bishop Hartmann together with the abbey. With its circular form, the chapel is a reminder of the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem, which is still a popular place of pilgrimage today.

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The Cloister
Le Cloitre

The stairs take you directly in to the cloister. In the Middle Ages all the important rooms of the abbey were accessed by this corridor, including the chapter house, refectory and dormitory. The vaulted arcades date from around 1370 and are decorated with Gothic frescoes. The gravestones of prelates were originally located in the church. In the middle of the small courtyard stands a fountain built in 1992 with a bronze statue of Bishop Hartmann by Friedrich Gurschler.

 

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The Abbey Church
La Basilique

Entry to the monastery church is direct from the cloister, and the church is popularly known as the "porch of paradise". The massive bell tower and the three-aisled nave are part of the original Romanesque church dating from around 1200. The high late Gothic choir was built in 1470/80. Few traces of the Middle Ages have remained in the colourful, light-filled interior of the church, which was redesigned in around 1740 in the southern German Rococo style.

 

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The Abbey Museum
Le Musee de L'Abbaye

The museum contains precious art treasures from the Middle Ages and early modern era spread over ten individual rooms.

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Cristo - 15th C
Scultore anonimo

Maestro di Uttenheim
ca 1455-1460

Bottega di Friedrich Pacher
ca 1480

Unbekannter Meister
1510

Hl. Augustinus
1700

The Abbey Library

A staircase leads you up to the monastery library. Neustift's Library Hall, which was built around 1770/75, is one of the most beautiful in the southern German region and is a repository of knowledge accumulated over the centuries.. The guilded Rococo stucco-work, the portals with their artistic locks and the natural stone floor give the hall an air of festivity.

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The Chinese Room

In spring 2021, wall paintings whose existence was unsuspected were uncovered in the room that probably originally served as a representative anteroom to the Library hall. The paintings, which date from 1775/80, are a fascinating example of the enthusiasm for China typical of the European Rococo.

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Neue Kunst Gallery

Marcus Gasser "Ronaldo"

Marcus Gasser Brutus 2