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The basic design of the Church on the Holy Mountain still follows the outline of the Late Gothic single nave church erected by Duke Ernst I of Bavaria in 1423. In 1455 Duke Albrecht III, his son and successor founded the Benedictine Monastery and expanded the monastic premises.
In 1609 the first major re-structuring of the church was undertaken in the style of the Italian Late Renaissance, incorporating a double High Altar in the Choir and a vertical rise.
The church was almost entirely destroyed by the great fire of 1669. Only the Sacred Chapel remained untouched. The reconstruction work lasted many years, from 1669–1679.
The Baroque-ification of the church began in 1712 with the installation of the wrought iron altar screen. The windows in the area of the High Altar were also enlarged in the process along with other alterations. This resulted in the interior of the church being flooded with light.
In celebration of the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Monastrery, Abbott Bernhard Schütz further enhanced the reconstruction during the years 1751–1755.
The design for the reconstruction was the work of Johann Baptist Zimmermann, Bavarian Court Painter and Stucco expert who lived from 1680–1758. He was one of the great masters of the Wessobrunner School. He succeeded in retaining the Late Gothic basics of the church (1432) while incorporating a fascinating interaction between the Baroque elements created in 1712 and the new Rococo –style stucco and fresco paintings, thus spanning three centuries and three strongly contrasting architectural- and artistic periods.
This is the church the visitor experiences today.
Among the great masters of that time who were involved in the planning and execution of the reconstruction of the church were:
Johann Baptist Zimmermann, Munich Court Painter and Stucco Expert (1680-1758), Wessobrunner School - | the overall construction planning and chief engineer | - | the double High Altar (of 1609) | - | the stucco work on the ceiling, walls, columns and the Törring and Prelates’ Chapels | - | four side altars consecrated to Saints Benedict, Rasso, John and Michael | - | ceiling frescoes in the middle and side naves and in the Sacristy | - | 26 oil paintings raising above the altar | - | wall paintings on the side of the side walls of the organ rise |
Johann Baptist Straub, Munich Court Sculptor (1704-1784) - | the side figures of the foremost side altars, the “Four Marian Chaplains” | - | the side figures on the lower portion of the High Altar | - | the putti and vases to the rear of the side altars |
(J.B. Straub also created the High Altar of the Grafrath Church in which the remains of St Rasso are interred in a glass coffin.)
Franz Xaver Schmädl (1705-1777), Sculptor of the Weilheim School - | the portrayal of God the Father above the High Altar | - | the statues of Saint Nepomuk and Saint Florian | - | the Crucifixion Altar in the Prelates’ Chapel | - | execution of the High Altar (designed by J.B. Zimmermann) |
Hans Degler (circa 1570–1634/1635), a Weilheim sculptor - | “The Immaculate Maria” found at the upper High Altar (1608/09) |
Johann Andreas Wolff (1652-1716), Munich Court Painter - | the pictures for the foremost side altars: “The Dying Saint Benedict” “Saint Rasso” |
Elias Greiter, junior (1595-1641 or 42), a Weilheim artist - | the paintings on the rear side altars: “The Baptism of Jesus” “Saint Michael” |
Johann Michael Roth (died circa 1763), a Munich goldsmith - | the gold-work on the Tabernacle (1755-56) | - | the gold-on-copper sunburst-niche on the lower High Altar |
An exact description of individual art objects in the Monastery Church can be found under the rubric “Church”, „Church Tour“
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