The Monastery Island of Reichenau

The statue of St. Pirmin greets you on the way to the monastery island of Reichenau. It was he who built the first monastery on the island in 724. Together with forty men, he cleared the previously uninhabited island and made it arable. The monastery he built was indeed made of wood. But it was by no means a primitive building. Rather, the monastery was a four-winged structure, one side of which consisted of a wooden church. In the 1980s, during excavations in the area around the monastery, wooden stumps were found, the felling year of which could be dated to the time when the monastery was founded.

The Minster of St. Mary and St. Mark is the oldest church on the monastery island of Reichenau, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The church buildings, gardens and landscape cultivation of the island are witnesses of the influence of the monks who inhabited the island from 724. It was then that Pirmin founded the monastery. The wooden building of his church soon became too small. After all, by the middle of the 9th century, 134 monks were already living on the monastery island. Thus began a series of expansions and new buildings. Of these, however, only foundations have survived. Today's minster was built around the basilica of the cross, which was consecrated in 816.
After an eventful history of the monastery, Prince-Bishop Jakob Fugger had new convent buildings erected at the beginning of the 17th century. Finally, in 1757, the monastery was dissolved. Today, the Fugger convent buildings house the rectory and the municipal administration.
Opening hours during the summer months: daily from 09:00 - 17:00. Guided tours for individuals from April to October on Tuesdays at 17:00.

The monastery garden is just one of the gardens that are to be recreated around Reichenau Minster. The monastic garden culture is to be revived with it. The monastery garden is located next to the Minster of St. Mary and St. Mark.

A visit to the herb garden should not be missed when you are on the island of Reichenau. This has been rebuilt on the monastery grounds based on the model of the "hortulus" (little garden) from the 9th century. Its layout corresponds to the historical model of the herb garden that the Reichenau abbot Walahfrid Strabo laid out here in the middle of the 9th century.

If you like wine, a visit to the vinotheque of the Reichenau winegrowers' association is worthwhile. Their wines are stored in the extensive wine cellars of the former Reichenau monastery. Today, the vinotheque of the Reichenau winegrowers is located on the monastery grounds. There you can taste and buy the Reichenau wines.
Summer opening hours: Monday to Friday: 09:00 - 18:00 Saturday: 09:00 - 16:00 Winter opening hours for wine sales: Monday to Friday: 10:00 - 17:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00 h

Saint Peter and Paul is the second oldest church on the island of Reichenau. It was donated by Bishop Egino of Verona, who also consecrated it in 799. The present church dates back to the 11th century and stands on the foundations of the original church. The ceiling and wall paintings in the church are worth seeing.
Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 17:00. Guided tours for individuals from April to October, Wednesdays at 17:00.

On the lakeside terrace of the Sandseele Restaurant you can enjoy fish, meat or vegetarian specialties from the region with a magnificent view of the Untersee.
Opening hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. Hot cuisine daily from 12 to 21 o'clock.

In the Reichenau Museum you can learn about the history of the monastery and the wall and book painting in the 8th century. You will learn about the writing and painting school in the monastery, which existed for 300 years. The museum will introduce you to the garden science of Abbot Walahfrid Strabo and you will get to know the Reichenau monk Hermann the Lame. It is thanks to him that the hour was divided into minutes.
Opening hours: April to October daily from 10:30 to 16:30
July and August daily from 10:30 - 17:30
November until March Saturday, Sunday & public holidays from 14:00 - 17:00

The church of St. George is the third Romanesque church on the island of Reichenau. It dates from after 888 and was built under Abbot Hatto III. During his journey to Rome for the imperial coronation of King Arnuf, Hatto received the head of St. George. He brought the relic back to the island of Reichenau, where he kept it in the crypt of the new church. The church is still almost completely preserved. Worth seeing are especially the wall paintings from the 10th century.
Opening hours: The church of St. George is closed from May to September to protect the early medieval paintings. It can be visited during this period as part of a public guided tour, daily at 12:30 and 4 pm. (duration 30 minutes)
In addition, guided tours for individual visitors take place on Mondays from April to October at 17:00 - 18:00,

The murals of the church of St. George are explained in the exhibition in this museum. A visit to the museum helps to understand the meaning of this church and the paintings.
Opening hours: April to October daily from 10:30 to 16:30
July and August daily from 10:30 - 17:30
November till March Saturday, Sunday & Holidays from 14:00 - 17:00

On the way back to Stuttgart, you can have dinner at the restaurant Bootshaus Sigmaringen on the banks of the young Danube with a view of Sigmaringen Castle. Enjoy Swabian specialties prepared in-house with fresh ingredients from the region.
Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 22:00 o'clock