Codex Mariendalensis

The Codex Mariendalensis is a medieval manuscript written on parchment and ink, currently held at the National Library of Luxembourg. The work spans over 5,900 lines arranged in rhyming couplets and documents the life story of a noblewoman who entered religious life.

The manuscript was written in 1290 by Brother Hermann von Veldenz and tells how a princess abandoned her noble birth to become a nun in a monastery. This work stands as an important testament to religious life and the social choices made during the medieval period.

The text uses Moselle Franconian language, an early form that eventually developed into modern Luxembourgish, preserved today in the National Library. Visitors can see how this old language established foundations for what would become modern Luxembourg's spoken tradition.

The manuscript can be viewed at the National Library of Luxembourg, where it is preserved as a national monument. Visitors should note that viewing historic handwritten documents may require advance arrangements due to preservation conditions.

The manuscript remained lost for several centuries until it was rediscovered in 1999 at Ansembourg Castle. The location of this discovery was near the original monastery where the story itself took place.

Inception: 1320

Made from material: parchment, ink

GPS coordinates: 49.60972,6.13083

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:00