Bebenhausen Abbey

The origins of Bebenhausen date back to the early Middle Ages, with archaeological finds dating to the 8th or 9th century. A royal donation in the 11th century brought the area to the Speyer episcopal church. The foundation of the monastery probably occurred in 1183 by Count Palatine Rudolf I of Tübingen, who acquired the necessary lands through an exchange of goods with the Diocese of Speyer. Initially settled by Premonstratensians, Cistercian monks from Schönau Monastery took over the complex around 1189/1190. Under their patronage, the expansion of the monastery began, which rose to become the richest in Württemberg in the late Middle Ages.