Starting around 1100, Zweifalten was, for a time, a double-abbey. Gertrude (†1160), daughter of Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland was a nun at Zweifalten. Her mother, Salomea of Berg was a generous patron.[2]
The monk Ortlieb wrote a history of the monastery in the early 12th century. Berthold continued it to 1137–38.[3] He served as abbot in 1139–1141, 1146/7–1152/6 and 1158–1169.
Although Pope Urban VI granted special privileges to it, Zwiefalten Abbey was nevertheless the private monastery of the Counts of Achalm, later succeeded by the Counts of Württemberg. The abbey was plundered in 1525 during the German Peasants' War.
Christoph Rassler was abbot from 1658–75 and Augustin Stegmüller was abbot in the 18th century. In 1739, work commenced on the abbey, which continued by Johann Michael Fischer until 1765 . It is considered a model of integrated Baroque design. Frescoes in the church by Franz Joseph Spiegler are considered his best work.[6]
In 1750 the abbey was granted the status of Reichsabtei, which meant that it had the status of an independent power subject only to the Imperial Crown and was free of the rule of Württemberg. Benedictine Ernest Weinrauch was a highly respected organ player and contrapuntist, who composed an oratorio at Zwiefalten.
On 25 November 1802, however, it was secularised and dissolved and became a lunatic asylum and later psychiatric hospital, which it is today, as well as the site of the Württemberg Psychiatry Museum.
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