Name of Monument:

Wilhering Abbey Church
Cistercian Abbey Church in Wilhering

Also known as:

Abbey Church of the Assumption of Mary in Wilhering

Location:

Wilhering, district Linz-Land, Upper Austria, Austria

Date:

1733–50 reconstruction of church after a fire
1738–43 altar paintings
1739–41 stucco decoration nave
1739?–41 fresco painting ceiling nave
1742–51 stucco decoration sanctuary and transepts
1747 start of gilding work

Artists:

Architecture: Johann Haslinger (1701–41), presumably after plans by Joseph Matthias Götz (1696–1760); interior overall design: Andrea Altomonte? (1699–1780); altar paintings: Martino Altomonte (1657–1745); fresco paintings (figural part): Bartolomeo Altomonte (1694–1783); fresco paintings (architecture): Francesco Messenta (1675–1745); stucco nave: Franz Joseph Ignaz Holzinger (1691–1775); stucco transepts and choir, organ figures and statues: Johann Georg Üblherr (1703–63) and Johann Michael Feichtmayr (1709–72); gilding: Johann Georg Früholz (died 1775)

Period / Dynasty:

Baroque and Rococo (on Romanesque floor plan and incorporating the Romanesque nave’s, transepts’ and sanctuary’s walls)

Denomination / Type of monument:

Ecclesiastical architecture

Patron(s):

In the 12th century Ulrich and Cholo of Wilhering donated a part of their father’s inheritance to the foundation of a monastery. After Ulrich’s death Cholo transferred the foundation to the Cistercian order.

History:

When the Cistercians came to Wilhering in the Middle Ages they would have lived in a previous secular building. Soon they erected monastery buildings and a church. They got further endowments and the monastery was flourishing.
During the Turkish invasions, the Reformation and after the big fire in the 18th century the monks went through hard times. Though there were no funds, abbot Johann IV started – modestly – with the reconstruction of the church. As time went by, it became more and more magnificent, and it took a while to pay off the debts. But it was well worth it as the church became one of the most important ecclesiastical Rococo buildings in Austria.

Description:

Rococo developed more intensely in Upper Austria than in the other states of the country. The influence came from nearby Bavaria where the new style enjoyed an immense popularity.
After the fire in the 18th century the (Romanesque) church got a Baroque façade and a Rococo interior. Interestingly, there was no artistic concept nor a leading overall designer. Fresco paintings, stucco work (two different phases and teams) and fittings were (mostly) done one after the other, and – surprisingly – harmonize as a total work of art.

In accordance with a Cistercian tradition, the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary: almost every artwork is in context of the life of the Mother of God.
Even as there was no masterplan for the church’s interior, designers, artists and craftsmen accomplished therewith a Rococo entity of architecture and art. The viewer is being inspired not to only see the details, but the whole work that produces the Rococo effect.

How Monument was dated:

Historical documents

Special features

Church’s architecture

In the centre of the monastery’s courtyard

1733–50

Johann Haslinger probably after plans by Joseph Matthias Götz (Johann Michael Prunner? and/or Joseph Munggenast?)

Though there was everywhere a huge desire to erect buildings during the Baroque era, it was different in Wilhering. The Cistercians had to (re)build the church and monastery buildings after a big fire. The destroyed parts were reconstructed using the remaining Romanesque walls, the original Romanesque portal is even visible. The new buildings got similarly designed Baroque facades with structuring pilasters. The church’s main façade with the tower is richly decorated. There are capitals and entablature above the pilasters, statues and Rococo skylight windows, continuously setting throughout the upper floor of the building.
According to the church’s main façade, the interior is similarly designed. The walls have pilasters (and pillars) with capitals, entablature and figurative decoration. Flat vaults sit on prominent columns whose continuous cornice divide the church into a celestial and a terrestrial part.

Ceiling decoration

In the vaults

1739–51

Bartolomeo Altomonte; Francesco Messenta; Franz Joseph Ignaz Holzinger; Johann Georg Üblherr; Johann Michael Feichtmayr

Huge fresco paintings and rich, white or coloured or gilded stucco are the ceiling’s decoration. The fresco paintings were done by Bartolomeo Altomonte (figure) and Francesco Messenta (architecture), the stucco work in the nave was executed by an Austrian plasterer.
The Austrian War of Succession interrupted the work in the church, the Bavarian elector Karl Albrecht (the enemy) was promptly accommodated in the monastery. It was probably under his influence that Bavarian plasterers, who were familiar with the new Rococo style, came to Wilhering and continued the stucco work in the church. Nonetheless, the abbot insisted that the decoration in the transepts and in the sanctuary had to conform to that in the nave’s vault. Even as there are many different details – the small unit design was given up in favour of a liberal ornamentation, trendy “C” Rocaille ornaments were added and the transition from painting to stucco was done in different ways – the ceiling decoration looks as if it was one harmonious work of art.

Represented music

Fresco paintings, reliefs and figures

1739–51

Bartolomeo Altomonte; Johann Georg Üblherr; Johann Michael Feichtmayr

In the Baroque era there was a strong interplay of the arts. As contemporary music played an important role, it soon became a topic in the visual arts. In Wilhering there are many angels – painted, statues or on reliefs – concerting and singing for the glory of the Madonna.
Painted angel musicians under the organ gallery welcome those entering the space. Above them there are stucco reliefs in white and gold representing music instruments, concerting putti and a painting of King David with the harp. Further up on the organ case, art culminates in an angels’ concert with gilded instruments.
Another King David with a harp, like all statues in the church made of stucco, is standing on the choir’s organ and points the musical way towards the sanctuary. A fresco painting on the ceiling above the presbytery closes symbolically the round – a painted orchestra and a choir are playing the background music during the Assumption of the Mother of God.

Selected bibliography:

Reisinger, P. Amadeus, Stift Wilhering, Linz: OÖ Landesverlag Linz, n.d.
Stadtmuseum Linz (ed), Kunstjahrbuch der Stadt Linz 1989, Vienna-Munich: Verlag Anton Schroll, 1989: 29–55.
Weinberger, P. Gabriel, Die Restaurierung der Stiftskirche Wilhering 1971–1977.
Weinberger, P. Gabriel, Wilhering – Stift und Kirche, Wilhering: self-published, 2018.
Zisterzienserstift Wilhering (ed), Stift Wilhering – Beiträge zu Geschichte, Kunst und Spiritualität, Linz: Wagner Verlag, 2021: 361–376.

Citation of this web page:

Gabriele Liechtenstein "Wilhering Abbey Church
Cistercian Abbey Church in Wilhering" in "Discover Baroque Art", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;BAR;at;Mon11;39;en

Prepared by: Gabriele Liechtenstein
Copyedited by: Janice MedinaJanice Medina

Janice Medina is an artist and educator based in Upstate New York. She studied interior design at Syracuse University and obtained her M.S. in Building Conservation in 2008 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) and Master of Fine Arts in 2019 (University at Albany).

Janice is a former participant in the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program and she has taught courses in the history of design and historic preservation. Her artwork is influenced by her experiences in historic preservation, as well as by building materials and the natural environment.

Janice has participated as a copy-editor with Museum With No Frontiers since 2019. In this role she has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including Discover Islamic Art, Discover Baroque Art and Discover Glass Art.

MWNF Working Number: AT 39