Bellelay Abbey
Bellelay Abbey
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 Location within Switzerland
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| Monastery information | |
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| Order | Premonstratensian |
| Established | 1140 |
| Disestablished | 1798 |
| People | |
| Architecture | |
| Functional Status | Cantonal Psychiatric Clinic |
| Heritage designation | Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance |
| Architect | Franz Beer |
| Style | Vorarlberg Baroque |
| Site | |
| Coordinates | 47°15′50″N 7°10′07″E / 47.26389°N 7.16861°ECoordinates: 47°15′50″N 7°10′07″E / 47.26389°N 7.16861°E |
| Public access | yes |
Bellelay Abbey is a former Premonstratensian monastery in the Bernese Jura in Switzerland, now a psychiatric clinic. It is a heritage site of national significance and the entire former Abbey complex is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.
According to the legend, the monastery was founded in 1136 by Siginand, prior of the abbey of Moutier-Grandval, who got lost in the deep forest of the High Jura while hunting a wild boar and was unable to find his way out. He vowed to found a monastery if he managed to return safely to Moutier, which he did four days later. To the monastery he founded in accordance with his vow he gave the name of "belle laie" ("laie" is a female wild boar).
According to other sources, the monastery was probably founded as a result of the influence of the Bishop of Basel on the south-west border of the diocese of Basel with the territory of the Abbot of Moutier-Grandval.
The foundation was confirmed by Pope Innocent II in 1142. There are numerous spelling variations from the early years of the monastery: Balelaia, Belelagia, Belelai, Belilaia, Bellale, Bella Lagia, Bellelagia and Bellilagia. The name comes from the Vulgar Latin bella lagia ("beautiful forest").
The abbey possessed various estates widely scattered. It was the mother-house of several other foundations, including Grandgourt Priory, Gottstatt Abbey and Himmelspforte Abbey at Grenzach-Wyhlen in Baden-Württemberg.
Bellelay was under the authority of the diocese of Basel, but operated as an independent lordship under the terms of a protection contract agreed with Bern and Solothurn (by 1414 at the latest) and also with Biel in 1516.
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