Library of the Franciscans of Klosterlechfeld
On the initiative of Regina Imhof a chapel was constructed on the Lechfeld in 1603. This quickly developed into a popular place of pilgrimage. Soon a guest house and out houses for the pilgrims were built. Monks helped the Untermeitingen parish priest from an early date however the building was first officially transferred to Franciscan ownership in 1624.
The “Reichsdeputationshauptschluss” [Imperial Committee of Deputies] of 1803 gave the Lechfeld monastery to the Electorate Bavaria. Nevertheless it avoided complete abolition and was converted to be an “Aussterbekloster” [a monastery which die a natural death]. The monastery was reopened when Ludwig I came to power in 1830. Consequently the library was brought to the Franciscan Monastery in Bozen. The monastery library consists of 12,399 works including 36 incunabula and 517 books from the 16th century.
Bibliography:
Manfred Schmidt, Die Franziskaner-Bibliotheken Kaltern, Innichen, Signat und Klosterlechfeld, Brixen 2007
Contact
Location: Franciscan Convent of Bozen
Library Structure
