Ettal Basilica

The date of the endowment and foundation of the Benedictine monastery at Ettal is the 28th of April 1330. Legend is that an angel told the Duke of Bavaria to start a monastery, presented him with a marble statue (now known as the Madonna of Ettal), and told him his horse would give him an indication of the site. The horse supposedly "genuflected" three times in one location and the Duke made the assumption that was the site for the construction of the Basilica. 

The church is of Gothic architecture and, unlike other old churches we have visited in Germany, is very light and airy inside. The second picture depicts the horse kneeling to identify the site. The third picture shows the sanctuary.

The church and attached monastery completely surrounds a large interior courtyard. The entire construction is massive. Today it is a boys' boarding schools with some girls attending day school there. It is a post-high school/pre-college single year program designed for those entering professional college programs. 

The monastery supports itself through a number of undertakings including a brewery, hotel, publishing house, and school.