The Rinchach Monastery is a former Benedictine monastery in Rinchnach in Bavaria in the Diocese of Passau.

The monastery consecrated to St. John the Baptist was founded in 1011 by St. Gunther, a Benedictine monk from Niederaltaich Monastery, was the first settlement in the central Bavarian Forest. In 1029 the land was donated by Emperor Konrad II to the Rinchnach monastery. In 1040 Rinchnach became the provost of Niederaltaich Monastery. St. Gunther moved on to Gutwasser (today Dobrá Voda) in Bohemia.

In 1204, Bishop Wolfger granted the incorporation of the Kirchberg parish including the Kirchdorf branch. The provost's office burned down in 1243, but after the reconstruction, Bishop Otto was able to rededicate the church on August 12, 1255. In the following time the goods and privileges of the monastery increased, which owned vineyards in Austria and in 1321 received the right from the Bavarian dukes to brew beer and to wear it as well as the wine without restriction. In 1332, Provost Friedrich Rößel founded the village of Bärnzell by promising the settlers 20 free years.

In 1488 the Hussites burned the monastery down. The rivals of the monastery were the Lords of Degenberg, who often made territorial claims. The process over the possession of Frauenau dragged on for many years, which was founded and pastored by the monastery in 1342 on a donation from the Degenbergers. In 1536 the monastery left the area to the Degenbergers for 3,500 guilders.

In 1597 a fire ravaged the monastery. In 1641, during the Thirty Years' War, the monks suffered severe abuse from Swedish troops. In 1684 the parish of Frauenau was reassigned to the monastery. On June 2, 1693, most of the buildings burned down after being struck by lightning. After the arson by Hungarian regiments in 1703, Niederaltaich rebuilt the monastery from 1708 onwards.

The monastery was dissolved in 1803 in the course of secularization. The property was auctioned. At that time the property of the provost included no less than 309 farms with a total of 3800 hectares and a tenth of a further 130 properties with 1890 hectares. The former monastery church is now the parish church of the Rinchnach parish.

Story:
The monastery consecrated to St. John the Baptist was founded in 1011 by St. Gunther, a Benedictine monk from Niederaltaich Monastery, was the first settlement in the central Bavarian Forest. In 1029 the land was donated by Emperor Konrad II to the Rinchnach monastery. In 1040 Rinchnach became the provost of Niederaltaich Monastery. St. Gunther moved on to Gutwasser (today Dobrá Voda) in Bohemia.

In 1204, Bishop Wolfger granted the incorporation of the Kirchberg parish including the Kirchdorf branch. The provost's office burned down in 1243, but after the reconstruction, Bishop Otto was able to rededicate the church on August 12, 1255. In the following time the goods and privileges of the monastery increased, which owned vineyards in Austria and in 1321 received the right from the Bavarian dukes to brew beer and to wear it as well as the wine without restriction. In 1332, Provost Friedrich Rößel founded the village of Bärnzell by promising the settlers 20 free years.

In 1488 the Hussites burned the monastery down. The rivals of the monastery were the Lords of Degenberg, who often made territorial claims. The process over the possession of Frauenau dragged on for many years, which was founded and pastored by the monastery in 1342 on a donation from the Degenbergers. In 1536 the monastery left the area to the Degenbergers for 3,500 guilders.

In 1597 a fire ravaged the monastery. In 1641, during the Thirty Years' War, the monks suffered severe abuse from Swedish troops. In 1684 the parish of Frauenau was reassigned to the monastery. On June 2, 1693, most of the buildings burned down after being struck by lightning. After the arson by Hungarian regiments in 1703, Niederaltaich rebuilt the monastery from 1708 onwards.

The monastery was dissolved in 1803 in the course of secularization. The property was auctioned. At that time the property of the provost included no less than 309 farms with a total of 3800 hectares and a tenth of a further 130 properties with 1890 hectares. The former monastery church is now the parish church of the Rinchnach parish.

The church:
The first church was consecrated in 1019, followed by three new buildings. The tower was built in 1721. In 1727 the 15th century church was completely redesigned by Johann Michael Fischer. The tower was given a lantern, and Fischer designed the inside into an oval. The frescoes by Andreas Haindl show parallels between the life of St. John the Baptist and that of the monastery founder, St. Gunthers: Johannes in the desert - Gunther in the jungle, admission of Johannes into heaven - admission of Gunther into heaven, beheading of Johannes -Peacock miracle Gunthers at the court of King Stephen.

The stucco is attributed to Johann Baptist Modler or Franz Josef Holzinger. A wrought iron choir grille separates the choir from the nave. The high altar by Benjamin Schreidter around 1770 bears a painting by Franz Anton Rauscher that depicts the baptism of Christ. The rest of the furnishings were made in 1727 by the Niederaltaich lay brother Pirmin Tobiaschu.

Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kloster_Rinchnach