The history of Weingarten Abbey dates back to the 11th century, when the Welfs, one of the most powerful families of medieval Germany, founded a Benedictine monastery here. At first it was a modest foundation, but its importance grew immeasurably in 1094, when Judith of Flanders donated a priceless relic to the abbey - an ampulla containing, according to tradition, the blood of Christ mixed with earth from Golgotha. Since then, Weingarten has become an important pilgrimage center.

The current basilica, however, is not the original medieval building. After a fire consumed the earlier church in 1695, it was decided to erect a new monumental church in the then fashionable Baroque style. Construction lasted from 1715 to 1724 under the direction of prominent architect Franz Beer, and was continued by Donato Giuseppe Frisoni.

The Basilica of St. Martin impresses with its monumental mass, 102 meters long, 36 meters wide and with a vault height reaching 29 meters. Its façade, flanked by two towers 67 meters high, is an impressive example of South German Baroque. The proportions of the temple were carefully considered - its dimensions are based on symbolic numbers associated with Christianity, which was typical of the sacred architecture of the period.

The interior of the basilica dazzles with a wealth of decoration. The vaulted ceiling of the nave is decorated with monumental frescoes by Cosmas Damian Asam, depicting scenes from the life of St. Benedict and allegorical representations of the virtues. Of particular note is the fresco in the dome, showing the apotheosis of St. Martin - the patron saint of the temple. These paintings, executed between 1718 and 1720, are among the most outstanding achievements of Baroque fresco painting in Germany.

Altarpieces are also a unique feature of the decor. The main altar, a work by Joseph Anton Feuchtmayer, depicts a scene of St. Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar. Side altars, dedicated to various saints, form a harmonious whole with the temple's decor. The pulpit, confessionals and stalls were made by the best craftsmen of the era, creating a stylistically coherent ensemble of Baroque furnishings.

One of the most valuable pieces of equipment is the Chapel of the Holy Blood, where the famous relic is kept. This chapel, richly decorated with gilding and paintings, is the spiritual heart of the entire complex. It is here, in a special reliquary, that the ampulla with the Blood of Christ is kept, which has attracted pilgrims for centuries.

The architecture of the Weingarten basilica perfectly reflects the spirit of the Baroque era - the pursuit of monumentalism, theatricality and emotional impact on the faithful. The temple was intended not only to serve liturgical purposes, but also to manifest the power of the Benedictine order and the Catholic faith during the Counter-Reformation. Its imposing size and richness of decoration were meant to overwhelm and delight at the same time, arousing feelings of awe and religious ecstasy in visitors.

After the secularization of the abbey in 1803, as part of the territorial reorganization of Germany under the influence of the Napoleonic wars, the monastery complex went through various vicissitudes. Some of the buildings were adapted for secular purposes, but the basilica itself continued to serve a sacred function. In 1922, Pope Pius XI gave the church the title of basilica minor, emphasizing its historical and spiritual significance.

The real treasure of the Basilica of St. Martin in Weingarten, which attracts music lovers from all over the world, is the monumental organ - the largest surviving Baroque instrument in the world. This majestic organ, the work of the eminent organbuilder Joseph Gabler, is not only a masterpiece of organbuilding art, but also an extraordinary example of the harmonious combination of technical craftsmanship and artistic vision.

The history of this exceptional organ began in 1737, when Abbot Placidus Renz commissioned Joseph Gabler to build an instrument to match the grandeur of the basilica itself. Work on this monumental work took as long as 13 years, from 1737 to 1750, a testament to the scale of the undertaking and the precision of the workmanship. Gabler, who personally supervised every stage of construction, created an instrument perfectly integrated into the architecture of the temple, forming an integral part of it.

Gabler's organ is impressive in its size and complexity. The instrument has 60 voices (registers) spread over four manuals and a pedal, giving a total of some 6666 pipes - a number that is not accidental, but has symbolic meaning in the context of Christian numerology. The largest pipes reach heights of more than 10 meters, while the smallest are only a few centimeters tall. They are made mainly of tin, lead and wood, and each one has been carefully tuned to achieve the perfect harmony of sound.

What sets the Weingarten organ apart from other instruments of its kind is its unusual organ prospectus - the outer, visible part of the instrument. Gabler designed it in the form of a monumental façade that blends in perfectly with the basilica's architecture. The prospectus, made of wood covered with gilding, is decorated with numerous sculptures of angels playing instruments, allegories of sacred music and floral motifs. The centerpiece is a figure of King David playing a harp, placed atop the prospectus.

A unique solution used by Gabler is the arrangement of the pipes in the form of a so-called 'dovetail organ' (German: Schwalbennestorgel). Instead of the traditional placement of all the pipes in one organ cabinet, Gabler divided them into several smaller units, placed on either side of the nave. Such a solution not only allowed the instrument to be better integrated into the architecture of the church, but also created unusual acoustic effects - the sound reaches listeners from different directions, creating an impression of spaciousness.

The sound of the Gabler organ is as impressive as its appearance. The instrument is characterized by an extraordinary variety of sound colors - from delicate, ethereal flute voices, to bright principal voices, to powerful, majestic tutti sounds, filling the entire space of the basilica. Solo voices, such as Vox Humana (imitating the human voice) and Flauto Traverso (imitating the transverse flute), are especially prized, allowing for extremely expressive performances.

Over the centuries, Gabler's organ has undergone several renovations, but efforts have always been made to preserve its original character. The most important restoration work was carried out between 1953 and 1959 under the direction of E.F. Walcker & Cie, and then between 1981 and 1983 by the Kuhn Orgelbau workshop. Thanks to these careful restorations, the instrument retained its historic sound while gaining the reliability necessary for regular use.

Today, the organ in Weingarten is not only a liturgical instrument, but also a concert instrument. Regular organ recitals are held here, attracting outstanding virtuosos from around the world. Particularly popular are the summer organ concerts, during which one can hear both Baroque music, perfectly in tune with the instrument's character, and later compositions, demonstrating the versatility of this remarkable instrument.

For organ music lovers, the opportunity to hear this historic organ is an unforgettable experience. The acoustics of the basilica, with its long reverberation time, perfectly match the sound of the instrument, creating a unique atmosphere. The sound of Gabler's organ fills the entire space of the temple, surrounding the listeners on all sides and creating an impression as if the music was coming from the heavens.

It is worth mentioning that the organ in Weingarten is not only the largest surviving Baroque instrument, but also one of the best documented. Gabler's detailed plans and descriptions have been preserved, providing a detailed insight into the process of its creation and the original intentions of its maker. This documentation is an invaluable resource for organ builders and musicologists studying the history of organ building.

In addition to the magnificent organ, the other treasure that makes the Basilica of St. Martin in Weingarten a special place is the relic of the Holy Blood of Christ, which has been kept here for centuries. This priceless relic, according to tradition containing blood mixed with the earth from Golgotha, not only gave the abbey a special status in the hierarchy of holy places, but also shaped a local pilgrimage tradition that has continued uninterrupted for nearly a thousand years.

The history of the relics is fascinating and dates back to the Crusades. According to accounts, in 1055 Judith of Flanders, wife of Welf IV, received the relic from her father, Baldwin V, Count of Flanders. The latter, in turn, was said to have received it from the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The relic, housed in a small ampoule, contains a substance that, according to tradition, is the blood of Christ mixed with earth from Golgotha, collected by Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced the side of the crucified Jesus.

In 1094, Judith donated this precious relic to Weingarten Abbey, which immediately raised the monastery's profile and made it an important pilgrimage center. For the protection and dignified display of the relic, a special reliquary was created, which has been repeatedly improved and decorated over time. The current reliquary, made of gilded silver and decorated with precious stones, dates from the 18th century and is the work of Augsburg goldsmith Joseph Ignaz Sessel.

The Holy Blood Relic gave rise to one of the oldest and most vibrant pilgrimage traditions in Germany - the so-called 'Blutritt' (Procession of Blood). This annual celebration, held on the Friday after Ascension Day, gathers thousands of pilgrims and is the largest horse-drawn procession in Europe. The tradition dates back to 1529, when a solemn procession with a relic, carried by an abbot on horseback, was first organized.

Today, the procession is attended by some 3,000 riders in historical costumes, representing various parishes and brotherhoods in the Weingarten area. The riders, on richly decorated horses, accompany the priest carrying the reliquary. The procession sets off from the basilica and travels through the surrounding fields and villages, blessing the land and asking for a fertile harvest. The entire ceremony is accompanied by prayers, chants and brass band music, creating an unusual spectacle combining religious elements with local folklore.

'Blutritt' is not only a religious event, but also an important part of the cultural identity of the Upper Swabian region. In 2014, the procession was included in Germany's UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its importance beyond the purely religious dimension. For local residents, participating in the procession is a matter of honor and a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

In addition to the annual procession, the Holy Blood relic is a destination for individual pilgrimages throughout the year. The faithful come to Weingarten to pray before the relic, asking for graces and healings. Over the centuries, numerous cases of miraculous healings attributed to the Holy Blood's intercession have been documented, further strengthening the relic's cult.

St. Martin's Basilica offers pilgrims and tourists the opportunity to attend regular services and special celebrations related to the cult of the Holy Blood. Special prayers and blessings with the relic are organized for pilgrim groups. It is worth noting that despite the secularization of the abbey in 1803, the pilgrimage tradition was not interrupted - the care of the relic and cult was taken over by the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

For those interested in the history of the relic and the pilgrimage tradition, a small museum has been set up in the complex of the former abbey, where historical documents, photographs of the procession and artifacts related to the cult of the Holy Blood can be seen. This museum is a valuable complement to a visit to the basilica, allowing one to better understand the significance of the site in a religious and cultural context.

In addition to the relics of the Holy Blood, the basilica also houses other valuable relics and sacred objects, including fragments of the Holy Cross, relics of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, and a rich treasury with liturgical vessels and paraments. These precious objects, collected over the centuries by the Benedictines, are testimony to the abbey's rich history and its importance in the religious life of the region.

It is worth noting that despite the passage of time and socio-cultural changes, the cult of the Holy Blood in Weingarten remains alive and authentic. It is one of the few examples of medieval pilgrimage traditions that have survived to our time in almost unchanged form. For scholars of popular religiosity and cultural anthropologists, Weingarten provides a fascinating example of cultural continuity and the adaptation of ancient forms of piety to a modern context.