Monastic Island of Reicheneau - UNESCO: World Heritage

Handbuch der deutschen Kunstdenkmäler / Reichenau - English Summary Add. 3
northern wall of the chancel a tabernacle with
the Annunciation, dating from the second
half of the 15th century. In a niche on the left
wall of the monks’ chancel a sandstone
madonna (around 1310/20). In the northern
aisle a Vesperbild of around 1350, recolored
during the Baroque era. The wrought-iron
screen separating the crossing and nave was
made by the workshop of J. J. Hoffner in
1742. The monument of Abbot Georg
Piscator (died 1519) can be seen in the
eastern chancel; the signature “HANSF” on
the crook points to Hans Vischer of
Nuremberg.
The late Gothic sacristy serves as the treasury
today. The windows are by Bartholomäus
Lüscher (1556). Notable exhibits include an
ivory pyxis, probably 5th century but
reworked in the early 14th century, depicting
two healings and an early Christian altar. The
so-called Cana Jug is a marble hydria dating
from the late Classical period, with a giltcopper
setting added in the 15th century. The
9th century Byzantine pectoral cross
enclosing two relics has been on the island
since 923; the setting dates from 1738. The
large “Oberzell cross”, around 1120-40, was
restored in the late Middle Ages. Notable
among the early and mid-Gothic reliquaries is
that of St. Mark, dated 1303-5 by the coat of
arms of Bishop Heinrich von Klingenberg.
Of the old monastery north of the church
some remains of the west wing have
survived. The new buildings south of the
church were erected around 1605/10.
Description. The church is a basilica with a
single-storey antechurch and a large threepart
sanctuary. The apses of the sanctuary’s
barrel-vaulted “aisles” support the two eastern
towers. The nave is structured by four pairs
The ground floor of the old town hall (now a
museum) dates from the early 13th century as
documented by the Romanesque clerestory
window over the portal. The half-timbered
upper floor was added around 1500.
NIEDERZELL
Collegiate church of St. Peter and Paul.
History. The church was consecrated in 799
by its founder, Bishop Egino of Verona, who
was buried here on his death in 802. The
original building was a hall church with an
apse slightly narrower than the nave, and a
chapel built onto the south wall. Fragments of
sculptures and painted plaster found among
the rubble of the earliest buildings point to a
richly decorated interior. The church, already
much repaired after two fires, was pulled
down in 1080, and Abbot Ekkehard von
Nellenburg had it rebuilt on the original
foundations. Building was completed in 1134;
the eastern towers, begun during the 12th
century, were not finished until the late 15th
century. Of the additions and alterations
carried out during the Renaissance only the
oculi of the bay closest to the chancel are
visible today; the church was extensively
restorated and redecorated in the Rococo
period. The present-day nave windows as well
as the stuccoed ceiling date from 1756/57.
The exterior of the nave has retained its
Baroque character while the eastern parts were
restored to their Romanesque look in the
1930s. The most recent restoration work done
to the interior (but excluding the medieval
wall paintings) was carried out in 1970/77.
of columns with slightly varying bases and
capitals. There are no transepts.
Decoration. The stuccoed ceiling is by local
artist Dominikus Wurz. The murals of the
main apse are a magnificent late example of
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