1330 Foundation

On Vitalistag, April 28, 1330, Emperor Ludwig IV, known as “the Bavarian,” founded the monastery on the Ampferang meadow after returning from Italy. Since then, the centerpiece of the monastery has been the Ettal image of grace brought from Italy by the emperor, a small seated statue of the Virgin Mary with child Jesus. Practical purposes were associated with the pious foundation of vows, such as developing the area and securing traffic routes. That's why, in addition to the monastery, a foundation was made for knights and their wives.

1370 construction period

After 40 years of construction, the monastery church was consecrated. The church was built on a dodecagonal floor plan in the form of the High Gothic style.

1710 Founding of the Knights' Academy

Abbot Plazidus II Seitz gave the previously insignificant monastery greater importance with new areas of responsibility, which resulted in extensive construction work. The so-called “Knight Academy” was founded, an elite school with an excellent reputation. In addition, the entire monastery complex was given a baroque look. The architect was the Munich court architect Enrico Zucalli. The pilgrimage to the Ettal image of grace also became increasingly stronger.

1744 major fire in the monastery

A major fire destroyed around half of the monastery and the monastery church. Due to a lack of space, the knight academy had to be abandoned. The Wessobrunn builder Josef Dirt was able to be won over for the reconstruction in the following years. The interior decoration of the church was carried out by the artists Martin Knoller, Johann Jakob Zeiler and Johann Baptist Straub, who were important at the time. 

1790 New construction period

After years of construction work, the ceremonial transfer of the Ettal image of grace to the designated place in the newly built high altar could now take place.

1803 secularization

In the course of secularization, the monastery was closed and the monks had to leave Ettal. The entire monastery property with extensive forests in Ammergau went to the Bavarian state. The former monastery grounds were parceled out and auctioned off to the highest bidders. The large monastery complex initially found no buyer due to the high estimated price of 130.680 guilders.

1810 Purchase from Josef von Elbing

General Postal Director Josef von Elbing purchases the empty monastery complex including the monastery brewery for 38.000 guilders. 

1821 Major renovation work

Elbing's son-in-law Jakob Baur von Breitenfeld has large parts of the empty monastery complex demolished, and cattle stables are built into other parts.

1856 The facility was sold again

Count Albert zu Pappenheim acquires the monastery property. In subsequent years it will be managed as an agricultural property. The monastery brewery will also continue to operate as a business. 

1898 Second founder Cramer-Klett

The machine factory owner Theodor von Cramer-Klett from Nuremberg purchases the monastery property. At the same time, the Scheyern Monastery was concerned with establishing a new religious branch. Theodor von Cramer-Klett now left the monastery buildings in Ettal to the monastery at a reduced price, and is therefore considered the second founder of the Ettal monastery. 

1900 Order branch

Twelve Benedictine monks from Scheyern Monastery were now able to move back into Ettal Monastery. The order's branch was initially run as a priory. Father Willibald Wolfsteiner was won as prior.

1903 Living space for monks

The east wing with the apartments for the monks will be rebuilt on the old foundation walls with financial support from Cramer-Klett.

1905 high school and boarding school

Founding of a high school and boarding school by the Benedictine monks.

1907 Independent abbey

The Ettal monastery is elevated to an independent abbey, and Willibald Wolfsteiner is elected as the first abbot of the newly built monastery. The church facade is completed.

1912 conversion for school operations

The monastic agriculture was removed from the monastery buildings in order to make more space for high schools and boarding schools.

1920 elevation to Minor Basilica

The monastery and parish church is elevated to a minor basilica by papal decree.

1925 Founding of the monastery hotel

The monastery built the “Ludwig the Bavarian” hotel next to the monastery inn.

1943 wartime

Relocation of the Presidium of the German Red Cross, Foreign Service Department, from Berlin to Ettal Monastery. Operations at the boarding school and the high school had to be stopped beforehand. The resistance fighter Father Rupert Mayer was also quartered in the monastery until the end of the war.

1950 post-war period

After the war and the turmoil of the post-war period, the passion plays were performed again in Oberammergau, and from now on the monastery began to improve again in terms of personnel and economy.

1975 completion of the monastery complex

The monastery complex is completed with the closure of the gap to the east of the high school.

2010 abuse scandal & processing

The discovery of an abuse scandal shocks the monastery. The monastery's work on it in the years that followed was exemplary.

2015 visitor center and new monastery shop

The newly designed churchyard was inaugurated with a visitor center and the new monastery shop.