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Landkreis Aschaffenburg
Hösbach

Schmerlenbach Monastery

Highlight • Religious Site

Schmerlenbach Monastery

Recommended by 104 hikers out of 106

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Naturpark Spessart

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    Best Hikes to Schmerlenbach Monastery

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    1. Schöntal pond – Ketzelburg Ruins loop from Aschaffenburg Hbf

    19.1km

    05:21

    390m

    390m

    Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Hard

    Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Moderate

    Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Moderate

    Tips

    February 22, 2025

    The Schmerlenbach monastery was founded in 1218. After an eventful history, the monastery was dissolved in 1808.

    Translated by Google •

      It's always nice to take a break here or take a break

      Translated by Google •

        Schmerlenbach's tradition stretches back almost 800 years: in 1218, the Würzburg canon Gottfried von Kugelnberg founded the noble women's monastery "Maria im Hagen" here. Benedictine nuns from Wechterswinkel in the Rhön settled in the new foundation, and their habits were based on the strict rules of the Cistercians. Construction of a chapel probably began shortly after the monastery was founded. As early as 1240, the monastery was named Schmerlenbach - after the stream that flows through the area and in whose water the loaches swam. At some point in the 16th or 17th century, the nickname "Maria an der Sonne" appeared, which is still used today.

        In 1758, the monastery church had become so dilapidated that Abbess Maria Engelberta von Rodenhausen was forced to tear down the church dedicated to St. Agatha and rebuild it. The new baroque building still stands today. After the death of the last abbess in 1807, the monastery was dissolved in 1808. The buildings and properties remained in the possession of the Prince-Bishop of Mainz, Karl von Dalberg. He set up a foundation for a seminary in Schmerlenbach. In 1812, Schmerlenbach became a parish and the pilgrimage church became a parish church. The former monastery complex was used primarily for private purposes until the middle of the 20th century. In 1976, Lebenshilfe workshops moved into the eastern part of the extensive complex. In 1982, the Diocese of Würzburg acquired the dilapidated monastery buildings and built the "Maria an der Sonne" educational and retreat house there between 1983 and 1985. The successful new building is deliberately based on the old monastery floor plan and incorporates the remaining components into a harmonious whole. Today, the house is a conference center and can be booked by groups.

        Source: wallfahrt.bistum-wuerzburg.de/wallfahrtsorte/region-aschaffenburg/schmerlenbach

        Translated by Google •

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          Elevation 180 m

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          Location: Hösbach, Landkreis Aschaffenburg, Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

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