Benediktinerabtei St. Bonifaz in München und Andechs

Founded in 1850 by Bavarian King Ludwig I, the Abbey of St. Boniface in Munich’s Maxvorstadt district quickly grew into a spiritual, cultural, and social center. As reflected in the architecture of the monastery and church, King Ludwig I also wanted the Benedictines of St. Boniface to embody the triad of church, science, and art in their work. This corresponded to his view of religion as the source of all art and science. To this day, the monks remain active in these areas. The abbey largely finances its educational and scientific activities, as well as its work with the homeless, independently.

The monastic community and the construction of the buildings of St. Boniface can be traced back to King Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786–1868; reigned 1825–1848). The restoration and re-establishment of monasteries after the secularization of 1803 was especially close to his heart. His particular preference was for the Benedictines, whom he also wanted to settle in his capital and residence city of Munich. In the first half of the 19th century, the steadily growing population of Munich made it necessary to establish new parishes. With St. Boniface serving as both an abbey and a parish in the newly developing Maxvorstadt district, King Ludwig was able to address both aspects. With the art exhibition building adjoining the church and monastery at Königsplatz—today’s State Collection of Antiquities—he also realized the triad of church, science, and art, which corresponded to his idea of religion as the source of all art. For this reason, he also designated St. Boniface as his burial place. We remain committed to the mission of our founder to this day and strive to fulfill it in various ways, adapting to the needs of the times. The Andechs Monastery, which had already been a Benedictine monastery from 1455 to 1803 and which Ludwig I acquired from private ownership in 1846, was given to St. Boniface as an economic asset to secure its livelihood. For this reason, the official name of the abbey to this day is Benedictine Abbey of St. Boniface in Munich and Andechs. Together, both houses form the abbey, headed by the elected superior, the abbot, who since 2003 has been Johannes Eckert.