The history of the foundation goes back to
Charlemagne, who established the
St. John Benedictine monastery between 780 and 786 in
Müstair further up in the valley. Sometime after 880, the Benedictine monastery was dissolved and re-established as a convent for both sexes. About two hundred years later there was a reorganization, when
Eberhard of Tarasp built the monastery of
Schuls in the
Inn valley in the
Engadin for the male portion of the community, while nuns remained at Taufers in the
Adige valley. After the monastery at Schuls had been rebuilt and reconsecrated in 1131, Ulrich von Tarasp called monks from the German monastery of
Ottobeuren to revive it; the additional numbers made it possible to raise the community from a priory to an abbey. In 1149 or 1150 the community was re-settled on the hill near the village of
Burgeis, under the name of Marienberg. About one hundred years after its foundation the abbey suffered from serious conflict. It was sacked twice by nobles under Abbot Konrad III (1271–98) and in 1304 Abbot Hermann was killed by Ulrich of Matsch. The
Black Death killed all but four members of the abbey including Abbot Wyho and
Goswin, a lay brother, who later became a priest and chronicled the history of the monastery. This chronicle is divided into three books, the first of which details the story of the foundation and donations to the abbey. The second book of the chronicle is a history of the abbots, and the third recites the privileges conferred by popes and princes. It gives an account, without regard for order or chronology, of the founders, fortunes, benefactors and oppressors of the monastery. Goswin later became a prior of the abbey and court chaplain to
Duke Leopold III of Austria. In 1418 Marienberg was burned down and was later rebuilt. After a period of decline in the sixteenth century, several
German monks helped to restore and expand the abbey. Abbot Mathias Lang (1615–40), from
Weingarten Abbey, reformed it, and in 1634 Marienberg joined the Benedictine Congregation of Swabia. Lang's successor, Jacob Grafinger (1640–53), enlarged the library, and made the younger members finish their education at schools of repute. In 1656 the abbey was again burned down. Abbot Johann Baptist Murr (1705–32) in 1724 founded a humanistic high school in
Meran which is still administered by the monks of Marienberg. Abbot Placidus Zobel (1782-1815) compiled a chronicle of the abbots. In 1807 Marienberg was dissolved by the
Bavarian government, but was restored by
Emperor Francis II in 1816. Today the monks specialise in adult education: weekend courses and longer retreats are held at the abbey. The abbey itself is available for tours. ==External links==