No. 14 Kloster Eberbach

 Eberbach Abbey (Kloster in German) is a former monastery in the Rhine River region of Rheingau, close to Frankfurt. It is known for its Romanesque and early Gothic architecture buildings, some of which date back to the early  1100’s.  The rooms and even the church are quite barren as the monks lived a very meager  life, living in damp, unheated buildings, eating and sleeping very little - sworn to not talking.  In spite of this lifestyle, the abbey  was at one point one of the largest and most influential monasteries in Germany. However, after a series of wars and societal changes,  the abbey was dissolved in the early 1800’s. Today it is owned by the local state, managed as a non profit, and contains a high quality restaurant and conference center. 

In addition to the abbey, there are  several vineyards  on the property. In earlier times, the vineyards were some of the largest in Europe and today the  Kloster Eberbach winery is known for its high quality Riesling. Inside the abbey you can see some very old wine presses and casks that the monks used to make and store wine. 

Interesting note:  The 1986 movie, “Name of the Rose”, starring Sean Connery, was shot at Eberbach. Connery plays a friar who is brought in to investigate a mysterious death at a 14th century abbey and it is easy to see why it would be such a great setting- very little would have to be staged. 








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