Awarded climatic health resort
As a state-recognised climatic health resort with its healthy, stimulating low mountain climate and the Kurlangen mountains, Hirsau has a local recreation function for stressed city dwellers from the conurbations of Stuttgart.
Guests appreciate the combination of unspoilt and health-promoting nature with the historic surroundings of the Hirsau Monastery.
In addition, in the fantastic backdrop of the monastery ruins, the Calwer Monastery Summer attracts thousands of visitors year after year.
The Hirsau Monastery
The history of Hirsau began around 760 with the construction of the Nazariuskirche, in 830, the Aureliuskloster was founded, but it fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in another larger place from 1059 onwards. The universally learned Abbot Wilhelm made Hirsau Monastery one of the most influential monasteries in Europe.
After the monastery’s property had passed to the Duchy of Württemberg in the 16th century, Duke Ludwig of Württemberg had a hunting and pleasure castle built within the monastery walls. In 1692, French troops destroyed the monastery and castle.
In addition to the 800-year-old Aureliuskirche, the monastery ruins of St. Peter and Paul (1082 – 1091) with its Romanesque owl tower, the Gothic cloister (1482 – 1485) and the undamaged late Gothic Chapel of Mary (1508 – 1516) are of great architectural interest. Remarkable is also the ruins of the Renaissance hunting lodge (1588 -1592)
The political community of Hirsau was formed only in 1830 and came to Calw in 1975 as part of the municipal reform.
