History

Engelberg Monastery was founded in 1120 resulting from a reformist movement within Benedictine monasticism. Concentrating on the essential questions of life, while providing stability in a community and a solid education were its cores values. The important manuscripts from the Engelberg scriptorium remain witness to these values, up to present-day. The monastery sees itself as a school for life.

The large-scale expansion of the Stiftsschule in the mid-19^th century was the monastery community’s answer to the needs of the times. The original Latin school developed into a full-scale high school. Since 1909, the Stiftsschule has offered the federally recognized Swiss Matura. Expanding into the natural sciences became increasingly important in the course of the 20^th century. In order to educate young people for vocational training, the monastery established the Secondary School which is presently run by the community in collaboration with the monastery as the so-called “Integrative Orientation School” (IOS).

In our modern times, society, the working world, and our institutions of higher education are shifting their expectations of our young people and of the schools they attend. We rise to these changes by adapting our school program accordingly – nevertheless staying true to the founding Benedictine principles while keeping a focus on the future.