Kloster Schmerlenbach, Benedictine monastery in Hösbach, Germany.
Kloster Schmerlenbach is a former Cistercian convent in Hösbach, Bavaria, now run by Pallottine monks as a retreat and education center. The site consists of a Baroque church, several monastery buildings, and a garden with pathways that visitors can walk through.
The monastery was founded in 1218 by Gottfried von Kugelnberg as a Cistercian convent for women. After it was dissolved in the 18th century, Pallottine monks took over the site in 1985 and gave it a new purpose.
The Madonna figure from 1380 is still kept in the church and draws visitors who come to pray or simply look at it. The site now serves as a place for retreats and courses, so it tends to attract people looking for a quiet break from daily life.
The garden and outdoor areas are freely accessible and easy to walk through at any time. Before visiting the church, it is worth checking whether a retreat or course is taking place, as the center is in active use throughout the year.
The ceiling paintings in the church date from 1759 and show the influence of Balthasar Neumann, the Baroque architect best known for the Würzburg Residence. This connection is rarely mentioned, yet it makes the interior one of the few smaller churches in the region to reflect his work.
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