Bellelay Abbey

Bellelay Abbey

Bellelay Abbey is a former Premonstratensian monastery in the Bernese Jura in Switzerland, now a psychiatric clinic.

History

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 Basle on the south-west border of the diocese of Basle 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 Basle, but operated as an independent lordship under the terms of a protection contract agreed with Berne and Solothurn (by 1414 at the latest) and also with Biel in 1516.

Although the abbot had the right of the low justice in the abbey's immediate territory, and was awarded the right to the use of the ring, the mitre and the cross at the Council of Constance in 1414, it does not seem that Bellelay was ever an Imperial abbey.

The buildings were ransacked during the Swabian War in 1499 but thanks to the treaty with Solothurn the monastery was spared the effects of the Thirty Years' War. The abbey reached its golden age in the 18th century as a renowned place of education for the sons of European nobility.

Dissolution

In 1797 the buildings were occupied by French troops and secularised. The precious furnishings were sold at this time - an altar from Bellelay, for example, is now to be found in the parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Saignelégier.

In the 19th century the monastery premises were used as a watch factory, then as a brewery and finally as a glass factory. In 1890 the Canton of Berne acquired the site, from which time the monastery buildings have been used as a psychiatric clinic.

Since the end of the 1960s the premises have also been used for concerts and exhibitions by the "Fondation de l'Abbatiale de Bellelay".

Architecture

The present structure of the abbey church of the Assumption was built by Franz Beer on the Vorarlberg model between 1708 and 1714. The church has two towers on the west front which formerly had onion domes. The interior is decorated with painted stucco by the Wessobrunn School, created in 1713. The other monastery buildings in the Baroque style are also from the 18th century.

Tête de Moine

Bellelay Abbey is the home of the cheese Tête de Moine, first made by the monks in the 12th century.

List of Abbots of Bellelay

# Geroldus 11421180
# Ludovicus 11871202
# Adam 1195
# Richardus 12021237
# Henricus I of Soulce 12371256
# Jacobus I von Wetterau 12561258
# Conradus 12581270
# "Name unknown, possibly died 1276"
# Petrus I of Varres 12891296
# Burchardus of Boécourt 12981316
# Lambertus 13161326
# Petrus II de Sancey 13261336
# Henricus II de Bassecourt 13371350
# Petrus III de Vannes 13501354
# Jacobus II de Séprais 13651374
# Joannes III de Pontenet 13741398
# Joannes IV Donzelat 13981401
# Henricus III Nerr 14011418
# Heinzmann (Henricus IV) Girardin 14181426
# Joannes V de Chatelat 14261434
# Petrus IV Martini 14341438
# Heinzmann (Henricus V) 14381448
# Joannes VI Rier 14481456
# Joannes VII Gruel or Grier 14561483
# Joannes VIII Barth 14831490
# Joannes IX Brullard 14901508
# Nicolaus I Schnell 15081530
# Joannes X Gogniat 15301553
# Servatius Fridez 15531561
# Antonius Fottel 15611574
# Joannes XI Simon 15741579
# Werner Spiessbrecher (Brieselance) 15791612
# David Juillerat 16121637
# Joannes XII Petrus Cuénat 16371666
# Joanns XIII Georgius Schwaller 16661691
# Norbertus Périat 16911692
# Fridericus de Staal 16921706
# Joannes XIV Georgius Voirol 17061719
# Joannes XV Sémon 17191743
# Gregorius Joliat 17431771
# Nicolaus II Deluce 17711784
# Ambrosius Monnin 17841807 [see Sources]

Notes

ources

* Historical Dictionary of Switzerland in [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D8492.php German] , [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/f/F8492.php French] or [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/i/I8492.php Italian]
* [http://campus.hesge.ch/labodoc/sites/2A/Liatti_Zwahlen/bellelay/histoire/abbes.html Website source of list of abbots]


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