Schloss Maurach, Medieval château in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, Germany
Schloss Maurach sits directly on Lake Constance's shore beneath the Birnau pilgrimage church, comprising a residential wing, chapel, farm buildings, and gardens. The complex has expanded over centuries and now operates as a conference hotel with about 25 rooms for seminars and educational programs.
The estate was first documented in 1155 as a farmstead and shipping dock for Salem Abbey and underwent major renovation in the mid-1700s under Abbot Stephan I Jung. This expansion established the foundation for the site's present form.
The location served as a preferred summer retreat for Cistercian abbots and functioned as a religious administrative center for Salem Abbey on the lake shore. The buildings reflect the monastery's practical focus on managing land and commerce from this waterside outpost.
The site is easily accessed due to its lakeside location and integration with the surrounding landscape near the pilgrimage church. Keep in mind that the buildings serve private conference operations today and are only open to the public on special occasions.
The name 'Schloss' appeared only after secularization in the 1800s, even though the buildings never served as a noble residence but as utility structures for Salem Abbey. This linguistic relabeling shows how thoroughly the original function was forgotten over time.
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