The monastery church was established in about 1014 by Emperor Henry II and is dedicated to Saint Stephen the Protomartyr (after the patron of Passau Cathedral). In 1112 bishop Ulrich I gave the benefice of Herzogenburg to his newly founded monastery at St. Georgen, which moved to Herzogenburg in 1244.
There are few remains of the Gothic church (the portal and the second storey of the tower). The architect of the present church building was Franz Munggenast (son of Josef Munggenast). The rebuilt church was dedicated on 2 October 1785 and was the last significant Baroque church built in Austria.
Art collection
The emphasis of the collection is on late Gothic works such as panel paintings, sculptures and stained glass windows. The great banqueting hall, the treasury, and the monastic library, as well as the coin cabinet, underline the art-historical importance of the priory in Lower Austria. The Baroque picture gallery is also notable, and does not only contain religious works. A particular curiosity is a well-preserved Roman helmet, dating from about 150 A.D., which was found in a gravel pit in the vicinity.
Provosts
Wisinto (1112–1117)
Raffoldus (1117–1130)
Ludger (1130–1148)
Hartwig (1148–1160)
Adalbert (1160–1180)
Berthold (1180–1191)
Wisinto II. (1191–1204)
Albert (1204–1213)
Hermann (1213–1214)
Heinrich (1214–1228)
Herbord (1228–1242)
Engelschalk (1242–1267)
Ortlof (1267–1285)
Ekhard (1285–1288)
Wolfker von Wielandstal (1288–1310)
Trost (1310–1330)
Herlieb von der Mühl (1330–1340)
Siegfried von Wildungsmauer (1340–1361)
Nikolaus I. Payger (1361–1374)
Johannes I. Schnabl (1374–1377)
Johannes II. (1377–1378)
Jakob I. (1378–1391)
Martin I. (1391–1399)
Martin II. Schenk (1399–1401)
Johannes III. (1401–1433)
Johannes IV. (1433–1457)
Ludwig Gössel (1457–1465)
Wolfgang (1465–1468)
Thomas I. Kasbauch (1468–1484)
Georg I. Eisner (1484–1513)
Kaspar Grinzinger (1513–1517)
Johannes V. Bernhard (1517–1533)
Bernhard I. Schönberger (1533–1541)
Philipp von Maugis (1541–1550)
Bartholomäus von Cataneis (1550–1562)
Johannes VI. Pülzer (1563–1569)
Johannes VII. Glaz (1569–1572)
Jakob II. Reisser (1573–1577)
Georg II. Brenner (1578–1590)
Paul Zynkh (1591–1602)
Johannes VIII. Rausch (1603–1604)
Ulrich Höllwirth (1604–1608)
Melchior Kniepichler (1609–1615)
Johannes IX. Hanolt (1619–1621)
Nikolaus II. Hay (1621 ||
Martin III. Müller (1621–1640)
Johannes X. Bauer (1640–1653)
Joseph I. Kupferschein (1653–1669)
Anton Sardena (1669–1687)
Maximilian I. Herb (1687–1709)
Wilhelm Schmerling (1709–1721)
Leopold von Planta (1721–1740)
Frigdian I. Knecht (1740–1775)
Stephan Peschka (1775–1779)
Augustin Beyer (1779–1780)
Michael Teufel (1781–1809)
Aquilin Leuthner (1811–1832)
Bermhard II. Kluwick (1832–1843)
Karl Stix (1843–1847)
Josef II. Neugebauer (1847–1856)
Norbert Zach (1857–1887)
Frigdian II. Schmolk (1888–1912)
Georg III. Baumgartner (1913–1927)
Ubald Steiner (1927–1946)
Georg IV. Hahnl (1946–1963)
Thomas II. Zettel (1963–1969)
Clemens Moritz (1969–1979)
Maximilian II. Fürnsinn (1979)
Gallery
Herzogenburg Monastery entrance
Herzogenburg Monastery
Herzogenburg Monastery
Herzogenburg Monastery inner courtyard
Cloister
Herzogenburg Monastery Church tower
Herzogenburg Monastery Church interior
Herzogenburg Monastery Church ceiling
Herzogenburg Monastery Church ceiling frescoes
Herzogenburg Monastery Church ceiling frescoes
Organ
Pulpit
Library
Herzogenburg Monastery, 1780
Provost Frigdian I. Knecht (1740–1775)
The bell „Pummerin“
References
Egger, Gerhart, and Fasching, Herbert (1982). Stift Herzogenburg und seine Kunstschätze. Vienna: Verlag Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus. ISBN3853266207.
Katzler, Günter (2003). Die Zehente des Stiftes St. Georgen-Herzogenburg von seiner Gründung bis zur Mitte des 14. Jahrhunderts. Addendum to Studien zum Herzogenburger Zehentpachtregister (1299-1339). Thesis for Vienna University.
Payrich, Wolfgang (1975). Stift Herzogenburg. Vienna: Verlag Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus. ISBN3853263208.
Penz, Helga (2004). Kloster - Archiv - Geschichte Addendum to Schriftlichkeit und Überlieferung im Augustiner-Chorherrenstift Herzogenburg in Niederösterreich 1300-1800 Dissertation for Vienna University.