Metten Abbey, also known as Kloster Metten and St. Michael’s Abbey, is a Benedictine monastery established in 766 in Germany’s southeastern region of Bavaria. The medieval abbey is treasured for its a rich history, arresting architecture, and perhaps most of all, its stunning 18th-century library.
Evidence suggests that Metten Abbey was originally home to a modest library built in the 1260s, which was expanded upon throughout the years, with a writing room added at the turn of the 15th century, and various manuscripts archived in the space under the Abbot Johannes Nablas in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Baroque library as seen today was constructed between 1722 and 1726 at the behest of Abbot Roman II Märkl, who commissioned a fleet of artists and carpenters to revive the abbey with frescoes, sculptures, and custom bookcases. Today, this ornate repository of knowledge is regarded as one of the most magnificent and beautiful historic libraries in Germany.
