The Servite Monastery Church of St. Augustine
Former Hermits of St. Augustine Monastery Church
Rattenberg, Tyrol, Austria
1695–1697 and 1707–1711
Baroque redesign of the nave: unknown Lombardian master builder; stuccowork: Diego Francesco Carlone (1674–1750), Paolo d’Allio (1655–1729); ceiling frescos: Johann Josef Waldmann (1672–1712); altarpiece, signed: Jakob Zanusi [n.d.]; tabernacle: Lorenz Wieser [n.d.]
Ecclesiastical architecture (monastery church)
Augustinian Canon Monastery Rattenberg, Prior Wilhelm Durchholzer
The monastery of the Hermits of St. Augustine was donated in 1384 by Johann Kummersbrucker, pledgee of the court of Rattenberg and also serves as his burial place. The monastery complex was expanded following fires in the 15th and 16th centuries. Following a period of decline a Baroque redesign of the nave was carried out between 1605 and 1697, followed by extensive building work under the direction of Prior Wilhelm Durchholzer in the early 18th century. The stuccowork was carried out between 1706 and 1708 followed by further interior work between 1708 and 1711. The altar was consecrated in 1756. In 1817 the Servite Order took over the building until it was dissolved in 1971. Between 1989 and 1993 the Augustinian Museum was established at the centre of the monastery.
The church forms the conclusion to the monastery complex at the side facing the town. The southern flank on Klostergasse and the western entrance side are simply and uniformly structured with pilasters. The interior of the church is characterised by the contrast between nave and choir: the former, an ordinary hall with pilaster arrangement, the latter a central spatial unit of imposing design, rich stucco, an abundance of light and monumental ceiling pictures, augmented by the massive high altar under the adjoining eastern vault arch as conclusion to the enfilade.
View Short DescriptionRattenberg church forms the Baroque highpoint of a late medieval monastery complex situated directly on the banks of the Inn. The Baroque redesign is characterised by the stuccowork from Diego Francesco Carlone, born in Scaria near Como, together with his associate Paolo d’Allio. While the nave’s Late Gothic architectural features were largely retained during the Baroque redesign, the choir as the central vaulted spatial unit was completely executed in High Baroque forms.
Archives
Interior, facing east
1695–1711
Unknown Lombardian master builder; Diego Francesco Carlone (1674–1750), Paolo d’Allio (1655–1729)
The interior of the monastery church is an exquisite example of a Baroque prospect. The view through the wide, three-bayed nave hall with shallow groined vault and wide fascia experiences a decisive caesura at the retracted triumphal arch. The powerful pilaster arcade with semi-circular arches provides an unobstructed view of the centre of the choir, of which only the eastern arcade framing the high altar and part of the domical vault with the fresco is visible from the nave. Thus the high altar and the eastern section of the ceiling painting appear to be placed in direct relation to one another.
Interior, facing east
1707–1711
Diego Francesco Carlone (1674–1750), Paolo d’Allio (1655–1729)
The choir, built on an almost quadratic ground plan, forms the highpoint of the spatial arrangement. Separated from the nave by a massive, deeply retraced triumphal arch, it is designed as a centralised building, whereby the lengthwise oval design of the domical vault is only apparent on entering the space. Massive bevelled piers provide the support for the shallow barrel vaults which form short cross-arms to the north and south as well as the niche for the high altar to the east.
East wall of the choir
Consecration of the altar 1709; tabernacle: 1756/c. 1770
Diego Francesco Carlone (1674–1750); Jakob Zanusi [n.d.]; Lorenz Wieser [n.d.]
The powerful column structure of the high altar in red marble completely fills the choir’s eastern alcove. The altarpiece depicting the Transfiguration of St. Augustine is overshadowed by a large stucco statue of Mary Immaculate in front of an aureole window. In addition, the church patron is flanked by the two Johns (Evangelist and Baptist).
Choir cupola
1708–1711
Johann Josef Waldmann (1672–1712)
The painting of the great oval choir cupola represents an important step in the development of Baroque fresco painting in the Tyrol. The heaven of the saints of the Augustinians, with the order’s members and saints venerating the Holy Trinity, has been executed as a pure figure composition and thus establishes a link to the form of cupola painting founded by Corregio in Parma designed for viewing from below. Painted architecture is completely absent.
Choir vault (cupola pendentives)
1709–1711
Paolo d’Allio (1655–1729)
The bold foliage stucco with long acanthus vines, often highly delicate and filigree is a work of Paolo d’Allo, who was a relative of Diego Francesco Carlone. He worked as part of Carlone’s retinue in southern Germany and Austria.
Strohmer, E., Rattenberg in Tirol, Wien 1921 (= Die Kunst in Tirol, vol. 3).
Tintelnot, H., Die barocke Freskomalerei in Deutschland, München 1951, p. 36f.
Neuhardt, J., Rattenberg, Bezirk Kufstein, Erzdiözese Salzburg, 2nd edition, Salzburg 1989 (= Christliche Kunststätten Österreichs, vol. 138).
Ammann, G., “Diego Francesco Carlones und Paolo d'Allios Tätigkeit in der ehem. Augustiner-Eremiten-Klosterkirche zu Rattenberg”, in: Festschrift für Landeskonservator Dr. Johanna Gritsch, hrsg. von Franz Caramelle, Innsbruck 1973 (= Schlern-Schriften, vol. 264, pp. 9–22).
Angerer, A., Das Kloster der Augustiner Eremiten von Rattenberg, in: Festschrift zur Wiedereröffnung der Stadtpfarrkirche zum Hl. Virgil in Rattenberg, Rattenberg 1984, pp. 154–83.
Egg, E., “Barock in Kufstein und Rattenberg”, in: Festschrift Heinz Mackowitz, hrsg. von Sybille-Karin Moser und Christoph Bertsch, Lustenau 1985, pp. 51–66.
Frank Purrmann "The Servite Monastery Church of St. Augustine" in "Discover Baroque Art", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;BAR;at;Mon11;27;en
MWNF Working Number: AT 27