Ettal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Bavaria,
Germany. It was founded on 28 April 1330 by Emperor Ludwig of Bavaria, in fulfillment
of an oath on his return from Italy. The foundation legend is that Ludwig’s
horse bowed three times on the site of the original church building.
The golden age of Ettal began with the establishment
of the ‘Knights’ Academy,’ which developed into a highly successful school. In
1744, the abbey with the church were largely destroyed in fire. It was rebuilt
in spectacular Baroque style with a double-shelled dome.
It had become one of the most important monasteries in
the Alpine region.
