The countryside in the upper Salzach Valley still shows the influence of the Cistercians today. The construction of the system of waterways was begun in the 12th century and expanded in the centuries that followed. Farms, vineyards, artificial lakes, ponds and an extensive system of artificially produced water ditches all around the monastery are clear evidence of the cultivation of the surrounding land. They bear witness to the principle of self-subsistence and the autonomy of the monasteries.
In addition to the system of waterways, the cultural landscape also includes the forest, the vineyards and orchards on the terraced slopes, the meadows and fields, the former storehouses, the quarries, the network of paths, the bridges and a large number of small monuments. The area around the monastery impressively shows characteristics vital for understanding the medieval monastery complex of the Cistercians and Cistercian monasticism. For the cultivation and management of the untouched landscape was part of the Cistercian's service to God and ultimately set a far-reaching example for European agriculture.
You can read more about the Cistercian water management here.
This cultural landscape also includes the "Eppingen Line", a defensive trench against the French expanded to a length of 53 miles (86 km) in the late 17th century.