Abbacy Nullius of Wettingen-Mehrerau A Cistercian abbey near
Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria. The Cistercian monastery of
Wettingen was founded by Henry of Rapperswyl in the present
Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, in 1227. It was first recruited
with Cistercian monks from Salem (Salmannsweiler) in Baden, and
continued without interruption till its suppression by the
Government of the Canton of Aargau, 13 January, 1841. Hereupon
its abbot, Leopold Höchle, made several futile attempts to found
a new home for himself and his scattered monks. After thirteen
years of searching for a suitable place he finally obtained the
permission of Emperor Franz Joseph to buy the partly dilapidated
Benedictine monastery of Mehrerau, which had been suppressed in
1806. On 18 October, 1854, this new home of the Cistercians of
Wettingen was solemnly opened under the name of Wettingen-
Mehrerau. The abbot bears the title of Abbot of Wettingen and
prior of Mehrerau, and has all the privileges of the former
abbots of Wettingen. He exercise