Schönau Abbey in Nassau, Benedictine monastery in Strüth, Germany
Schönau Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Strüth, located within the Diocese of Limburg in Rhineland-Palatinate. The grounds include several buildings arranged for communal life and worship, centered around the surviving Gothic chancel from medieval times.
Rupert I, Count of Laurenburg founded the monastery in 1126 and built a three-nave basilica between 1126 and 1145. A major fire in 1723 destroyed most of the original buildings on the site.
The monastery kept its Catholic practices through a time when the surrounding region shifted to Protestantism. Today visitors encounter a place where religious life has remained continuous despite major transformations around it.
The grounds serve the local Catholic parish today and host religious services and community gatherings. Visitors should check in advance which areas are accessible, as the site remains an active religious community space.
The Gothic chancel that survived the 1723 fire is the oldest surviving element on the site and shows the building's resilience. This single architectural remnant tells the story of the place across centuries.
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