The priory, dedicated to Saint Teresa, was founded as Urfahrn Priory (Kloster Urfahrn) in 1731 for the Discalced Carmelites by Johann Georg von Messerer, a counsellor at the Bavarian court, and his wife, both of whom were members of the Carmelite Third Order. The monastery was built between 1737 and 1741 by Abraham Millauer and his son Philipp to plans by the master builder Johann Baptist Gunetzrhainer. The interior of the church is by the Munich court painter Balthasar Albrecht.[1][2]
In 1836–37, after failed attempts to establish a Franciscan community in the empty buildings, it was re-founded as Reisach Priory (Kloster Reisach) by a small group of Carmelites from Würzburg.[2][1]
The monastery was closed in November 2019 and remained empty as at October 2021.[3][4]
In 2021 most parts of the episode "Wunder gibt es immer wieder" of the detective series Tatort were produced at the empty priory.[4]
Church
The Baroque crib
The Carmelite church is particularly noted for its carved Baroquecrib, created in the second half of the 18th century, and counted as one of the best in Upper Bavaria. The wooden relief carvings on the side altars, including the Altar of the Scapular by Johann Baptist Straub, are also of exceptional quality.[5][6]
