Buchau Abbey

The foundation of Buchau Abbey is dated to around 770, dedicated to Saints Cyprian and Cornelius. It emerged as a Frankish-Carolingian foundation, serving the strategic securing of Frankish rule in the Duchy of Alemannia. A legend states that Adelindis, a daughter of Duke Hildebrand of Swabia, had the monastery built after the death of her husband Atto and died there as the first abbess. However, more recent research suggests that this Adelindis lived a century later. In 819, the monastery received possessions in Saulgau and Mengen, as well as its own palatine court. In 857, it was mentioned as a proprietary monastery of Louis the German. Following Hungarian incursions in 902, a reorganization of monastic life occurred in the 10th century, with the Rule of Saint Benedict being applied for a time. A fire in 1032 destroyed parts of the monastery. In the 13th century, the foundation evolved from Augustinian canonesses to an unregulated canonesses' foundation for noble ladies from Swabia.