Frauenalb Monastery

The founding of Frauenalb Abbey occurred shortly before 1185 by the Counts of Eberstein as a convent for noble Benedictine nuns. An older legend, which names the year 1134 or 1135, was disproven in the 19th century. The convent exclusively admitted daughters from noble families. Eberhard III von Eberstein founded the monastery together with his mother Uta between 1180 and 1185. In the 14th century, the Vogtship passed to the Margraves of Baden. A fire in 1508 destroyed large parts of the Gothic monastic building; only the church and the infirmary remained. After reconstruction, the monastery was plundered in 1525 during the Peasants' War but quickly regained prosperity due to its extensive possessions. In 1598, Frauenalb was dissolved by Margrave Ernst Friedrich, and in 1605, the last canoness left the complex. During the Thirty Years' War, the abbey was reoccupied by Benedictine nuns in 1631, who, however, had to flee in 1634 and could only return in 1645. Between 1696 and 1704, a new three-story convent building was constructed, and under Abbess Gertrudis von Ichtrazheim, a new double-towered abbey church was completed in 1751.

The Frauenalb monastery ruin is located in Marxzell in the district of Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the upper Albtal valley, north of Bad Herrenalb.

The complex is a freely accessible monastery ruin, surrounded by a few houses.