Müstair - St. Johann

Many churches, chapels and abbeys all over continental Europe claim to be founded by Charlemagne.

Saint John Abbey in the village of Müstair (= monasterium) is - most likely - founded in deed by Charlemagne or a bishop under Charles´ order around 774. At that time Charlemagne fought war against the Langobards in Northern Italy and needed save and secure passes over the Alps for his army. Fortified monasteries played an important role in this strategy.

Dendrochronological surveys found out, that some of the beams used for the construction cut around 775, what is, when Charlemagne´s soldiers conquered the Lombardy.

The "Benediktinerinnenkloster St. Johann", today still a Benedictine nunnery, is since 1983 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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The Carolingian "Heiligkreuzkapelle" ("Chapel of the Holy Cross"), dated ~775, is a very early triconch structure. This chapel is even older than "Germigny-des-Prés" with a similar blueprint. It has two floors and is - since years- closed to the public, as the restoration is still going on.

Here is more info about the chapel:

www.muestair.ch/en/convent/history-research/highlights-in...