Ten Highlights in Maulbronn

The farm and administrative tract take up more than half the monastery complex.  It is characterized by the warm-colored facades of the early stone buildings, but also by half-timbered houses from various centuries.  Previously, the monastery courtyard was by no means as expansive as it is today.  The medieval inner fortification wall was torn down in the 18th century.

The largest single building is the impressive Granary (Fruchtkasten), which is used as a municipal hall (Stadthalle) today.  The approximately 148 ft by 82 ft (45 m by 25 m) building once served as a storehouse, wine press house and wine cellar.  Wooden containers like barrels, vats, bushels or boxes for agricultural products were stored, cleaned and repaired here.  The Granary, which was built shortly after 1200 and rebuilt in 1580, bears witness to the economic power of the monastery.

The Portico (Vorhalle) of the Monastery Church (Klosterkirche), the so-called "Paradies", is a masterpiece of early Gothic architecture built around 1220.  As the name of the architect is unknown, researchers called him the "Paradies architect".  His workshop realized one of the most beautiful rooms of the early Gothic period in Maulbronn, which is both spacious and of elegant proportions.  The transition from the compact pilasters of the Romanesque age to individual elements, which were the influence of the early Gothic of Northern France, begins here.
By the way, the term "Paradies" for the Portico was documented for the first time in 1288.

The main and secondary portals of the Monastery Church, the oldest dateable doors in Germany, are truly unique! The main portal of fir wood is part of the original appointments of the church from 1178.  It has ornately crafted wrought-iron decorative fittings.  The remains of the glued-on parchment covering of complete animal skins, which were originally painted red, have been preserved on both leaves.

Door fittings in the stylized shape of a bird, ornamental nails as decorations and for fixing the covering in place have been preserved on the single-leaf south portal.  The door of the north portal with old wrought-iron hinges was replaced and reworked several times. 

The Romanesque choir screen separates the monks' choir from the lay church.  The crucifix was originally attached to this choir screen, however today it is located between the choir screen and the altar of the lay church.

The massive cross looks like a roughly hewn, cracked wooden cross; the relatively delicate body of Christ appears to be nailed to this cross.  In reality, the cross and the body were carved from one huge block of stone.  Most impressive is the realistic depiction of the surface and the suffering body – a completely new kind of depiction in this age!

The artist dated his work "1473" and signed it with "CVS" on the back with.  He may have been Master Conrad of Sinsheim.
 

The richly carved Gothic choir stalls, which were produced in the first half of the 15th century, provided seating for 92 monks.  The sides of the stalls are adorned with very vivid relief scenes from the Bible, for example a virgin with a unicorn or Moses at the burning bush – so please have a close look!

The master of these carvings comes from a circle surrounding the famous Ulm sculptor Hans Multscher.  By the way, there are also other "carvings" on the stalls worth discovering.  A large number of students of the Protestant Monastery School have carved in their names...

There are three reliefs of oak on the large sandstone slab of the high altar.  They show scenes from the Passion of Christ, i.e. nailing to the cross, the Crucifixion and Lamination.

These are the remains of a partially painted and even completely carved high altar, which the monastery consecrated in 1394.  This must have appeared most precious, for when the reliefs are considered more closely, traces of gilding can be seen.  Only the faces were excluded from this.

The exquisite carving work is attributed to a southern German workshop, which made use of suggestions from Parler, the famous family of sculptors.

The Well House (Brunnenhaus) is located at the northern cloister opposite the Men's Refectory (Herrenrefektorium).  It was supplied with fresh water from mountain springs to the north of the monastery and was used by the monks for cleaning, for ritual washings and for cutting their tonsures.
The Well House was constructed in the 13th century as a circular central building up to the level of the parapet.  Around 1340/1350 five tracery windows and the vaulting were added.  The half-timber superstructure is from the time around 1611, probably according to plans of the Swabian architect Heinrich Schickardt.

The Well House unfolds its full beauty inside.  Since the reconstruction of 1878, the fountain has consisted of three bowls and a conical lead upper section.  The red chalk paintings in the vaulting are innovative, especially the scene depicting the founding legend of the monastery, i.e. the mule drinking at spring.

The two-nave Men's Refectory (Herrenrefektorium) was completed around 1230.  This is where the monks ate their meals.  But at the same time they also listened to readings from religious writings.  The reader stood on a raised reading pulpit on the east wall.  The former pass-through to the monastery kitchen can be seen on the west wall.

The quality of the stone-masonry and the enormous dimensions – the Men's Refectory is 89.2 ft (27.20 m) long, 37.7 ft (11.50 m) wide and 34 ft (10.40 m) high – show the monks' claim to a representative hall, which was entirely worthy of a king.  It is a very special room experience and it is also well worth it to take a closer look at the details, for example at the fine ornaments and figures of the red chalk paintings in the vaulting.

The monks assembled in the Chapter Hall (Kapitelsaal) for the daily reading of the rules of the order – hence the name of the room!  In addition, personal and internal matters of the order were discussed here.

The Chapter Hall was built between 1270 and 1300.  The room's character is determined by the three cylindrical piers which support the Gothic star vaulting.  The large tracery windows, which open the Chapter Hall to the eastern Cloister, and the chapel oriel on the opposite wall are quite striking.

The room decoration is also remarkable, and in particular the bird capital with eight eagles, the three-dimensional keystones and the rich red chalk paintings from the time around 1517 with plant tendrils and instruments of the Passion of Christ.
 

The town of Maulbronn has developed five circular walking routes together with the Swabian Highlands Association in Maulbronn under the motto "Water, Wine and Forest in the Cistercian Cultural Landscape (Wasser, Wein und Wald in zisterziensischer Kulturlandschaft).  They have different lengths and are designed so that the Cistercian cultural landscape (part of the UNESCO World Heritage list) can be explored either before or after a visit to the monastery.

1. Monk's trail: Around the monastery – "Tiefer See" (Deep Lake) natural outdoor pool with boat trips (1 mi/1.6 km, 30 minutes)

2. Monastery wine trail: Wine instruction path – Vista point "Auf den Schranken" – "Studentenbrünnele" (Student's Little Spring (1.2 mi/2 km, 40 minutes)

3. Cistercian trail: Wine instruction path – vista point "Auf den Schranken" – "Seidehof" (silk farm) – "Rossweiher" (horse pond) – "Schafhof" (sheep farm) – "Tiefer See" natural outdoor pool with boat trips (1.85 mi/3 km, 60 minutes)
 
4. Monastery lake trail: Monastery courtyard – "Wannenbach" trail – "Hohenacker" lake – "Rossweiher" – "Schafhof" – "Tiefer See" natural outdoor pool with boat trips (2.8 mi/4.5 km, 90 minutes)
 
5. Stonemason's trail: From "Wannenbachsträßle" toward Schmie to "Diebsbusch" hiking parking lot.  From there take the circular walking route to Schmie (5 mi/8 km, 160 minutes)