The Abbey of Muri Gries and the Church of St. Augustine (Abbazia di Muri-Gries e la Ciesa di Sant Agostino) description and photos - Italy: Bolzano (Topic)

Muri Gris Abbey and the Church of Saint Augustine (Abbazia di Muri-Gries e la Ciesa di Sant Agostino) description and photos - Italy: Bolzano. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Abbazia di Muri-Gries e la Ciesa di Sant Agostino.

Photo and description

Murie Gris Abbey and the Church of St. Augustine are one of Bolzano's oldest landmarks. The massive architectural complex of the abbey is located on the right-hand side of Piazza Gris. The first religious inhabitants of this monastery were Augustinian monks at the beginning of the 15th century. Then, in 1522, the abbey was plundered by rebellious peasants, and even later, during the reign of Napoleon, again ruined. The Augustinian Order was abolished in 1807 by the Bavarian government, and all of its possessions, including Muri-Gris, in 1845, by order of the Austrian emperor, were given to the Benedictines, who were expelled from Switzerland at the same time.

With the arrival of the Benedictines, a new page began in the history of the abbey, called Muri-Gris, and in the history of local winemaking. The monks took discipline very seriously, and so did the production of wine. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, wines produced in the Muri-Gris area began to be exported to some German-speaking regions. In those years, grape varieties such as Santa Magdalena, Malvasia, Lagrain, Cretzer and Pinot Grigio were grown here.

The oldest part of the abbey today is represented by a castle built in the 12th century by the Counts of Maury-Greifenstein. The castle later became the property of the Austrian dukes, and then, in 1406, the Augustinian monks, who turned it into a monastery. The main tower of the castle became a church bell tower. It is in this bell tower that the heaviest bell in all of South Tyrol is located - it weighs 5026 kg!

The Church of St. Augustine was built in 1769-1771 in the Baroque style. The vaults of the central nave and dome, as well as the seven altarpieces, are decorated with frescoes by the famous Tyrolean artist Martin Knoller.

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Topic: The Abbey of Muri Gries and the Church of St. Augustine (Abbazia di Muri-Gries e la Ciesa di Sant Agostino) description and photos - Italy: Bolzano.