The most beautiful monasteries in the Black Forest
Romanesque monastery churches, medieval ruins and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: around the Northern Black Forest, you can discover some of Baden-Württemberg’s most impressive monastic sites. We introduce the four stops on the Northern Black Forest Monastery Route – and add Allerheiligen as another historic abbey ruin worth visiting.
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Four monasteries – four very different stories
The official Northern Black Forest Monastery Route links the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maulbronn Monastery with Hirsau, Maria Reuthin Monastery in Wildberg and Alpirsbach Monastery. From the Kraichgau-Stromberg region, the route leads gradually into the Northern Black Forest.
The four sites are very different from one another: Maulbronn is exceptionally well preserved, Hirsau impresses with its extensive landscape of ruins, Maria Reuthin tells the story of a former convent, and Alpirsbach reflects the history of Benedictine monks, the Reformation and a later monastery school.
From a UNESCO World Heritage Site deep into the Black Forest
The Monastery Route connects Maulbronn, Hirsau, Wildberg and Alpirsbach across more than 100 kilometres of cultural landscape and countryside. Different sections can be explored on foot, by bicycle, by car or partly by public transport.
If you do not want to travel the entire route, the individual monasteries can of course also be visited independently.
Official Northern Black Forest Monastery RouteMaulbronn Monastery – a medieval UNESCO World Heritage Site
Few medieval monasteries preserve the interplay of church, cloister, economic buildings and surrounding cultural landscape as completely as Maulbronn.
The Cistercian monastery was founded in the 12th century. The complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. What makes Maulbronn particularly exceptional is that not only the church and cloister but also numerous economic buildings, walls and traces of the historic water-management and agricultural systems have survived.
Among its best-known architectural highlights are the “Paradise”, the Early Gothic porch of the monastery church, the Gothic cloister and the distinctive fountain house.
Geographically, Maulbronn is a special case in this guide: the monastery town lies in the Kraichgau-Stromberg region, outside the Black Forest itself. However, it is the official northern starting point of the Monastery Route, which continues from here into the Northern Black Forest.
Hirsau Monastery – centre of a medieval reform movement
Surrounded by wooded Black Forest hills in the Nagold Valley are the impressive remains of what was once one of the most important Benedictine monasteries in south-west Germany.
In the 11th century, Hirsau developed into an important centre of the Benedictine reform movement. The so-called Hirsau Reform influenced numerous monasteries and extended far beyond the Black Forest.
Today, the site is defined by the ruins of St Peter and Paul, the striking Owl Tower, remains of the cloister, the Lady Chapel and the former ducal hunting lodge.
The Hirsau Monastery Museum also uses archaeological finds, texts and historical displays to explain more than a thousand years of monastic history as well as the later history of Hirsau.
Maria Reuthin Monastery in Wildberg
Directly in the Nagold Valley lies a much smaller site, but one that is particularly interesting for the history of Wildberg and an important stop on the Monastery Route.
Maria Reuthin was founded in the 13th century and was a Dominican convent. Wealthy nuns and their dowries contributed for many years to the convent’s property and economic importance.
Following the Reformation and later changes, parts of the original monastery complex disappeared. The imposing Fruchtkasten, a former granary used to store provisions and dues, is one of the most distinctive surviving buildings.
Today, the building houses the Wildberg town museum. Its exhibitions cover topics including local history, agriculture, crafts, textile history and Wildberg’s traditional Schäferlauf festival.
Alpirsbach Monastery – Romanesque architecture in the Kinzig Valley
Powerful red sandstone, a monumental Romanesque monastery church and remarkable finds from a later monastery school make Alpirsbach one of the Black Forest’s most fascinating historic sites.
The Benedictine monastery was founded in 1095. Its origins are closely linked to the Hirsau Reform. The present Romanesque monastery church was built only a few decades after the monastery was founded.
Highlights include the large monastery church, the Late Gothic cloister, the former dormitory and the monastery museum.
After the Reformation, a Protestant monastery school was established in the buildings. Everyday objects and pieces of clothing from the 15th and 16th centuries, preserved beneath the floorboards, now offer unusually direct insights into the lives of the pupils who once lived there.
Another remarkable monastery ruin in the Black Forest
Allerheiligen is not one of the four stops on the Northern Black Forest Monastery Route. Its spectacular setting and proximity to the waterfalls of the same name nevertheless make the ruins well worth including in this guide.
Allerheiligen Abbey ruins near Oppenau
Surrounded by forest and rock, the Early Gothic walls of the former Allerheiligen monastery stand just above one of the Black Forest’s best-known waterfall landscapes.
The Premonstratensian monastery was founded towards the end of the 12th century. Monastic life ended with secularisation in 1803, and a lightning strike badly damaged the complex shortly afterwards.
Parts of the former monastery church, cloister and other structures still survive. The ruins are freely accessible today.
A particularly attractive option is to combine the ruins with the nearby Allerheiligen Waterfalls, where the water descends through a steep gorge in several cascades.
Allerheiligen also appears in our guide to Lost Places in the Black Forest – deliberately included there as a legal alternative to abandoned buildings that must not be entered.
Information about Allerheiligen Abbey ruinsWhich monasteries can be combined?
You do not have to travel the entire Monastery Route. For a day trip from Bad Wildbad, the destinations can be grouped sensibly according to location and the kind of experience you are looking for.
Hirsau & Maria Reuthin
Both monastery sites lie along the River Nagold and are particularly easy to combine. Hirsau offers the larger ruined complex and monastery museum, while Wildberg is home to the smaller historic Maria Reuthin site.
Maulbronn Monastery
Anyone with a special interest in medieval architecture should allow plenty of time for Maulbronn. The monastery, courtyard, museum and historic surroundings make the complex a cultural destination in its own right.
Alpirsbach Monastery
Alpirsbach works well as a separate day trip towards the Kinzig Valley. Romanesque architecture, the monastery museum and the surrounding Black Forest landscape combine culture and nature particularly well.
Allerheiligen & waterfalls
If you would like to combine historic ruins with a nature experience, the freely accessible Allerheiligen Abbey ruins and the neighbouring waterfalls make an excellent pairing.
Combine culture, hiking and the Black Forest
Many historic places lie in the middle of varied landscapes. If you would like to combine your monastery visit with time outdoors, there are numerous additional hiking routes and excursion ideas around Bad Wildbad and throughout the Northern Black Forest.
Questions about monasteries in the Black Forest
The most important answers about the Monastery Route and its historic sites.
Which monasteries belong to the Northern Black Forest Monastery Route?
The official Monastery Route connects Maulbronn Monastery, Hirsau Monastery, Maria Reuthin Monastery in Wildberg and Alpirsbach Monastery.
Is Maulbronn Monastery actually in the Black Forest?
Not directly. Maulbronn lies in the Kraichgau-Stromberg region, north and north-east of the Black Forest. However, it forms the official starting point of the Northern Black Forest Monastery Route, which continues via Hirsau and Wildberg to Alpirsbach.
Can you visit the Hirsau monastery ruins free of charge?
The outdoor areas of St Peter and Paul Monastery are freely accessible during the day. The separate monastery museum, guided tours and special activities have their own conditions and opening hours.
Was Maria Reuthin a Cistercian convent?
No. Maria Reuthin Monastery in Wildberg was a Dominican convent. The complex dates from the 13th century, and the historic granary now houses the Wildberg town museum.
What is special about Alpirsbach Monastery?
Alpirsbach Monastery was founded in 1095 and is closely linked to the Hirsau Reform. Highlights include its Romanesque monastery church, Late Gothic cloister and monastery museum with remarkable finds from the later monastery school.
Are the Allerheiligen Abbey ruins part of the Monastery Route?
No. Allerheiligen is not one of the official stops on the Northern Black Forest Monastery Route. The freely accessible ruins near Oppenau are nevertheless a worthwhile excursion and can be combined very easily with the neighbouring Allerheiligen Waterfalls.
Can a monastery visit be combined with hiking?
Yes. The Monastery Route itself is also designed for hiking and cycling. Hirsau, Wildberg, Alpirsbach and Allerheiligen are also located in areas with numerous signposted hiking trails.