Anhausen church ruin, built on rock, shrouded in mystery
Anhausen is the name of the small mill town in the Bühlertal near Sulzdorf with only a few inhabitants. The tiny, hidden hamlet was originally the starting point for settling Sulzdorf. On an idyllic rock above the Bühler river, at the mouth of the "Schwarze Lache" stream, the early church of St. Bartholomew stood on today's church square. There are several grottos under the church rock, and there is even a statue of Mary in a niche.
The place was first mentioned around 976: a noble name Reinger exchanged properties in Sulzdorf, which belong to the church in Anhausen, with Bishop Poppo II of Würzburg for goods near Detwang (Rothenburg / Tauber). The name Anhausen can come from "aha" = "watercourse" (Ahausin 1241; Anhusen 1337). It could also have been a Celtic place. Because there are rocks, a cave and a lot of water. An insignificant lower nobility is documented in writing in 1251 and 1273. The castle above the village of Anhausen was probably destroyed by King Ludwig the Bavarian after 1300. From 1506 there is still a valuable altar shrine (from the time of the great church consecration with 500 seats). Today this shrine is kept in the State Museum.
The bailiwick came from the von Vellberg heirs to the Comburg monastery in 1605: Count Heinrich von Komburg and his wife Geba donated their entire property - including their property in Sulzdorf. After the parish was relocated to the main town of Sulzdorf, the old early church was sold and demolished in 1863. In the second half of the 20th century, the old church site with low masonry was converted into an open-air church square and modeled on the earlier church complex.
Literature / Source: Willi Biedermann hd-Verlag Wankmüller, 1000 year celebration