Heilsbronn in Bavaria, Germany

Romanesque Klosterkirche with Tombs of Hohenzollern Rulers

Heilsbronn in Franken, Bavaria is mostly visited to see the Romanesque Klosterkirche (Monastery Church) with altars, art, and the tombs of Hohenzollern rulers.

Heilsbronn’s history goes back to 1132 when the bishop of Bamberg founded a monastery here at the conjunction of the territories of the Bishoprics of Bamberg, Würzburg, and Eichstätt. The monastery was once one of the richest in Franken but following secularization in the 16th century, the area lost in importance. The community surrounding the former monastery in Heilsbronn only received town rights in 1932.

Heilsbronn has good transportation links – it is just off the highway between Ansbach and Nürnberg – contributing to the town growing from 1,600 inhabitants to 10,000 during the past seven decades.

Heilsbronn Tourist Office

Tourist-Information Heilsbronn, Kammereckerplatz 1, 91560 Heilsbronn, tel 09872-80-619.

Heilsbronn Old Town

The main reason to visit Heilsbronn is not surprisingly to see the remnants of the former monastery, especially the minster. The original Klosterkirche (Monastery Church), Münsterplatz, tel 09872-1297, was erected in the mid-12th century but this Romanesque basilica received a Gothic makeover during the next century. During the 19th century, many later additions were removed to again emphasis the stark Romanesque lines of the original.

Noteworthy art works in the Klosterkirche include 9 altars, a tabernacle from the studio of Adam Kraft (1515), and the tombs of several Hohenzollern rulers, including the first three Hohenzollern electors of Brandenburg. The church is open from 9 am to noon and 1:30 to 5:30 pm, daily from April to September, and Wednesday to Monday in March, November, and December.

On the northern side of the Münsterplatz is the former Refektorium (Refectory) of the monastery. The building dates from 1240 and the Late Gothic tower was added two centuries later. Parts of the Gothic Dormitorium (Dormitory), Infirmitorium (Hospital), and the Neue Abtei (Residence of the Abbot) survived in simplified form.

The 13th-century Spitalkapelle, Brauereihof, was formerly the church for the laity who worked for the monastery. After secularization, these people were welcome in the monastery church. By 1708, the roof has collapsed. A tailor bought the lot and built an interesting half-timbered upper structure on the original stone church walls.

The Heilsbronn tourist office conducts guided tours on the first Saturday of the month at 2 pm. From June to mid-October, these town walks are also available on Thursday at 5:30 pm and are followed by a concert in the Münster.