Benedictine monastery

Benedictine monastery Review

Metten's Benedictine monastery, founded in the 9th century by Charlemagne, is an outstanding example of baroque art. The 18th-century library has a collection of 160,000 books whose gilt leather spines are complemented by the heroic splendor of their surroundings—Herculean figures support the frescoed, vaulted ceiling, and allegorical paintings and fine stuccowork identify different categories of books. In the church is Cosmas Damian Asam's altarpiece Lucifer Destroyed by St. Michael; created around 1720, it has vivid coloring and a swirling composition that are typical of the time.