Klosterneuburg Monastery founded by Leopold III
History
During the Investiture Controversy in the early twelfth century, Margrave Leopold III of Babenberg sided with the Papacy against Emperor Henry IV. In 1106, the emperor's son, Emperor Henry V, who sided with the Papacy against his father, rewarded Leopold's loyalty by offering him his sister Agnes' hand in marriage, in recognition of his services. Agnes was the widow of Duke Frederick I of Swabia. Leopold, who was recently widowed from his first wife, accepted the hand of this daughter of the Imperial Salian dynasty.With this new connection to two imperial families, Leopold's status was elevated by the marriage, which also brought with it a large dowry of royal possessions. Following his marriage, Leopold initiated plans to build a castle on Leopoldsberg for his new residence, which had formerly been at Gars am Kamp and Tulln an der Donau. He named the new castle Niwenburc. According to legend, Leopold was standing with his wife on the balcony of their new castle when Agnes' veil was carried away by a strong gust of wind. The area was searched, but the veil was not found. Years later, Leopold was out hunting when he became attracted by a brilliant radiance coming from the foliage of an elderbush. The source of the light was the undamaged veil, entangled in the foliage. From the light emerged a vision of the Virgin Mary, who directed Leopold to build a church and monastery in her honour at that location.In 1113, Leopold founded a monastery (kloster) for secular canons next to his castle, providing it with generous donations of land. The cornerstone ceremony for the new abbey church took place on 12 June 1114. Leopold's younger son, the chronicler Otto of Freising, prepared for his ecclesiastical career at Klosterneuburg and became provost in 1126. In 1133, Leopold handed the monastery over to the Augustinians after repossessing it from the secular canons. Leopold sought to create an impressive but private monastery next to his residence.On 29 September 1136, the abbey church was consecrated after 22 years of construction. The form of that original basilica has survived for nine centuries, despite many subsequent modifications and reconstructions. Most likely the two side aisles had lofts, the middle aisle was most likely higher, and above the crossing there was a tower. Two months after the consecration, Margrave Leopold III died on 15 November 1136. Agnes survived him by seven years. In 1156, Duke Henry II of Austria moved his residence from Klosterneuburg to Vienna after receiving the ducal title. Despite the change, the monastery continued to develop as a religious and cultural institution.In 1220, Duke Leopold VI of Austria selected a Burgundian master architect to build the Capella Speziosa chapel beside the convent. This chapel, considered among the most beautiful sacred buildings of its time, was demolished in the eighteenth century. On 13 September 1330, the town and monastery were seriously damaged in a fire. The monastery and abbey church were renovated, and new works of art were commissioned by provost Stephan of Sierndorf. In 1394, construction began on the south tower of the early-Gothic abbey church. It would take two centuries before the tower was completed in 1592.On 6 January 1485, Leopold III was canonized by Pope Innocent VIII. As a result, Klosterneuburg soon became an important pilgrimage site. Throughout the fifteenth century, the Augustinian canons had devoted themselves to humanistic studies and the sciences, especially geography and astronomy. During the various wars of that period, especially the Ottoman sieges of Vienna in 1529 and 1679, the monastery suffered severe damage. In the sixteenth century, the Protestant Reformation posed another threat to the monastery, as its influence led to reduced numbers—at one point leaving the monastery in the care of only seven canons. The success of the Counter-Reformation during the seventeenth century strengthened and renewed the monastery.Between 1634 and 1645, the first phase of remodeling the abbey church in the Baroque style took place. Artists from northern Italy were brought in to work on the project, under the guidance of Giovanni Battista Carlone. In 1636, the crossing tower was demolished. Between 1638 and 1644, the north tower of the abbey church was constructed. In 1644, a 6000-kg bell was cast and installed in the north tower, named Leopoldiglocke, after Saint Leopold III. The second phase of remodeling the abbey church in the Baroque style took place between 1680 and 1702.
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