Fraumunster's Tower in Zurich

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Illustration

James Blake Wiener
by
published on 17 December 2018
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Fraumunster's Tower in Zurich Download Full Size Image

Fraumünster Church (“Women’s church” in German) is a former Benedictine abbey situated in the heart of Zürich, Switzerland that was founded in the mid-9th century CE by Louis the German and his daughters, Hildegard and Bertha. Flourishing in the Middle Ages until the Swiss Reformation, Fraumünster had “imperial immediacy,” which gave the abbey a privileged political and constitutional status under imperial feudal law. The abbesses of Fraumünster were thus able to act and rule with tremendous power, independent of everyone except the Holy Roman Emperor himself. Following the Swiss Reformation led by Ulrich Zwingli, the abbey at Fraumünster was dissolved in 1524 CE and its last abbess, Katharina von Zimmern, placed Fraumünster in the control of the city of Zürich.

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About the Author

James Blake Wiener
James is a writer and former Professor of History. He holds an MA in World History with a particular interest in cross-cultural exchange and world history. He is a co-founder of World History Encyclopedia and formerly was its Communications Director.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Wiener, J. B. (2018, December 17). Fraumunster's Tower in Zurich. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9739/fraumunsters-tower-in-zurich/

Chicago Style

Wiener, James Blake. "Fraumunster's Tower in Zurich." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified December 17, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9739/fraumunsters-tower-in-zurich/.

MLA Style

Wiener, James Blake. "Fraumunster's Tower in Zurich." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Dec 2018. Web. 21 Dec 2024.

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