Aerial view of outbuildings at Maulbronn Monastery

MEDIEVAL ECONOMICSMONASTERY COURTYARDWITH OUTBUILDINGS

The monastery courtyard, its outbuildings and administrative buildings, take up more than half of the monastery complex. They are characterized by the warm facades of early stone structures and half-timber houses from various centuries.

Maulbronn Monastery, cold storage

Cold storage for fruit, the present-day city hall.

COLD STORAGE FOR FOOD STOCKPILING

The impressive cold storage building, today the city hall, demonstrates the monastery's economic influence. It served as a storage space, a wine press and a wine cellar. Casks, vats and other containers used for agricultural products were also stored here. The cold storage space, measuring 45 x 25 meters, was built in the early 13th century and was converted and expanded with an additional story in 1580. The original late Gothic structure is characterized by walled-up, ogival lancet windows. This once served as the lay brothers' workshop.

THE WESTERN FARMYARD

Along the western monastery wall are located the wheelwright and smithy, and behind them a storage building. Diagonally across from the smithy are the distinctive stables, which have served as Maulbronn city hall since the early 19th century. A Renaissance-style curved gable was added to the original Gothic stone structure during renovations around 1600. The so-called oat bin behind the stables was used for grain storage. The freestanding building to the north was the baker's house.

Exterior of former stables and oat bin at Maulbronn Monastery
Exterior of baker's house at Maulbronn Monastery

Farmyard with former stables, oat bin and baker's house.

Witches tower at Maulbronn Monastery

Visible from outside the monastery: the witches tower.

FROM WITCHES TOWER TO MILL TOWER

The northwest corner of the monastery complex is marked by the witches tower, part of the medieval fortification. The Cistercians added the grain storage attic and milking barn on the northwest side after 1440. The mill follows to the right. It was built after 1400, over a previous, smaller structure. A rampart once led out of the accompanying mill tower and ran diagonally across the monastery courtyard to the cold storage building. It was torn down in the 18th century. At the time, the mill tower served as a jail.

Farmyard with financial office, servants' quarters and restaurant (from left) at Maulbronn Monastery

The old buildings are still used today.

INTERIOR MONASTERY COURTYARD

Three large half-timber buildings, with gables pointing east toward the hermitage, form the interior courtyard. The restaurant opposite the mill was built in the mid-15th century. The middle of the three buildings, the former servants' quarters from 1550, is now a restaurant. Facing the open courtyard, the third building was a bursarium, or financial office, from 1742. It was once the monastery administrative office and is now the police station.