Chiemsee - Frauenchiemsee

Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria, had founded a monastery in 782 on Herrenchiemsee, but mid of the 9th century the nuns moved to smaller island Frauenchimsee, where Louis the German, son of Louis the Pious and so Charlemagne´s grandson had founded a nunnery. His daughter Irmgard (of Chiemsee) was the first Abbess here in 857.

Irmgard died in 866 and got beatified in 1928. Her tomb was rediscovered during excavations in 1961.

During the Hungarian raids of the 10th century, the monastery got looted and severely damaged. The convent recovered and the buildings got repaired or rebuilt.

The "Karolingische Torhalle" (= Carolingian gatehouse) is the oldest complete structure on the island, probably built under the order of Louis the German - and one of the oldest profane buildings in Bavaria.

There as been a dispute, when a dendrological study found out, that the beams of the roof are from the 10th century. Meanwhile this is settled, as the original roof probably burnt down, when the Hungarians raided the island - and got rebuilt after that.

There is a St. Nicolaus-chapel on the groundfloor and like in many carolingian gatehouses/westworks a chapel dedicated to St. Michael on the first floor.