Ehrenstein Abbey

The origins of the monastery date back to a castle chapel that belonged to the nearby Ehrenstein Castle. This chapel was expanded into a parish church in 1477 by Knight Bertram von Nesselrode. Nine years later, in 1486, he initiated the construction of the "Liebfrauenthal" monastery directly next to the church, which was completed in 1488 and subsequently inhabited by canons of the Order of the Holy Cross. During the Thirty Years' War, Ehrenstein Castle was destroyed by Swedish troops, while the monastery buildings, despite looting, largely remained intact. In 1812, the monastery was secularized at the request of the convent by the Duchy of Nassau. In the 19th century, parts of the complex had to be demolished due to dilapidation. A resettlement by Franciscans took place in 1893, who dedicated themselves to the parish and a house for delinquent clergy. In 1953, the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross returned to Ehrenstein, but had to abandon the monastery again in 1969 due to severe structural decay.