Michaelsberg Abbey, Siegburg

Michaelsberg Abbey

Abtei Michaelsberg
Michaelsberg Abbey, Siegburg
Location within Germany
Monastery information
Other names	Abtei Siegburg/Siegburg Abbey
Order	Benedictine Cistercian
Established	1064/1914/1945
Disestablished	1803/1941/2011
Site
Coordinates	50°47′45″N 7°12′39″E / 50.79583°N 7.21083°E / 50.79583; 7.21083Coordinates: 50°47′45″N 7°12′39″E / 50.79583°N 7.21083°E / 50.79583; 7.21083

Imperial Abbey of Michaelsberg, Siegburg
Reichsabtei Michaelsberg in Siegburg
Imperial Abbey of the Holy Roman Empire
1512–1803
Coat of arms
Capital		Siegburg
Government		Theocracy (till 1803)
Historical era		Middle Ages to Modern Era
•	Founded	1064
•	Gained Reichsfreiheit	1512
•	Disestablished	1803
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Berg Duchy of Berg
Today part of		Germany

Michaelsberg Abbey (German: Abtei Michaelsberg) is a former monastery of the Benedictine Order, belonging to the Subiaco Congregation (1064-2011). The monastery is situated on the Michaelsberg ("St. Michael's Mount"), about 40 metres above the town of Siegburg. For this reason it is also often known as Siegburg Abbey.

The hill called the Michaelsberg, formerly known as the Siegberg, was first inhabited about 800 by the Counts of Auelgau, who built a castle there. In 1064 the Archbishop of Cologne, Anno II of Cologne, founded a monastery there, dedicated to the Archangel Michael, from whom both the mountain and the abbey henceforward took their names. He appointed the monk Erpho (died 1076) as the first abbot. Anno himself died at the abbey in 1075 and was buried there.

Archbishop Anno was canonized in the abbey church on 29 April 1183 by Cardinal Giovanni Conti da Anagni and Bishop Pietro of Luni, acting as papal legates of Pope Lucius III. At this time his remains were translated to the Chapel of St. Anno, which can still be seen in the abbey church. By this time, however, the early spirit of these founders was beginning to dim among the monks. The community had developed a luxurious lifestyle, one which was so open that they were publicly criticized by a nearby Cistercian abbey.

During the 14th century, after a long legal battle, the abbey was recognized as an Imperial abbey (that is, directly subject to the Holy Roman Emperor alone). This led to bitter rivalry, and on occasion even war, with the town of Siegburg. In 1676 the abbey again became subject to the local territorial power. During the period of the Thirty Years' War, the abbey became a center of literary and musical studies.