Schönau Abbey

Schönau Abbey (Kloster Schönau) in Schönau in the Odenwald, in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg, was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1142 from Eberbach Abbey. The present settlement of Schönau grew up round the monastery.

By the end of the 12th century Schönau was already in use as a burial place of the Staufen family: in 1195 Conrad of Hohenstaufen, Count Palatine of the Rhine, was buried here, as had been his son of the same name, probably in 1186, and both his wives. Rupert II of the Palatinate (d. 1398) was also buried here.

In the 14th century Schönau was also the burial place of the Counts of Erbach.

During the Reformation the abbey was dissolved, in 1558. The empty buildings were occupied in 1562 by Huguenot refugees from Wallonia, to whom Schönau gave rights of residence.

Sights

Physical remains of the abbey include::* the abbey gateway (c. 1200);:* the abbey church (c. 1230); :* the former refectory; and:* the "Walloon forge" (the former abbey forge, renovated by the Walloons after 1558)