Allerheiligen Over the Centuries

Between 1191 and 1196

 

Duchess Uta von Schauenburg founds the Premonstratensian abbey of Allerheiligen

Early 13th cent.

 

Building is begun

1297

 

A document proves that the church is still being built

Beginning of 14th century

 

Allerheiligen Monastery is very probably completed

1469

 

The prior complains of the dilapidated state of the monastery complex

1470

 

A fire starts in the kitchen and destroys large sections of the monastery

1470-1484

 

The convent moves from the ruins of the monastery to Lautenbach in the Rench valley

1484

 

The convent returns to Allerheiligen. It resolves only to take on monks in the future, who swear an oath beforehand that they will never agree to the monastery being moved.

1555

 

Another monastery fire primarily damages the convent buildings

1657

 

The provost's residence is raised to an abbey

18th century

 

The church is redesigned in the baroque style and the monastery complex is expanded

1802

 

Margrave Karl Friedrich von Baden closes the monastery in the course of secularization and takes possession of the entire property

1804/05

 

The factory owner Reinhard Brenneisen tries to set up a wool-spinning mill in the convent buildings, however this venture is an economic failure

June 1804

 

A bolt of lightning sets the church tower and church roofs on fire. The adjacent monastery buildings are largely destroyed.

Up to 1814

 

The church is used, although seldom, as a house of God

1816

 

All buildings except for the church are auctioned off for demolition

1824

 

The government in Karlsruhe releases the meanwhile partially collapsed church as a stone quarry for the new church to be built in Achern

1840

 

The forest administration develops the waterfalls with ladders and later with stairs. The destructive exploitation of the church is forbidden by the Ministry of the Interior of the Grand Duchy.

1844

 

The forest-keeper Mittenmeier becomes Allerheiligen's first innkeeper

1845

 

Repair and restoration work begins; tourism flourishes

1871/87

 

Two new "Kurhäuser" (health resort buildings) are built for the growing number of tourists

1903

 

A new forester's lodge is built

1925

 

The war memorial of the Schwarzwaldverein (Black Forest Association) is erected

1947

 

The Caritasverband (German association of Roman Catholic charitable organizations) of the diocese of Mainz purchases the "Kurhäuser" and turns them into a children's recreation home

1960

 

A chapel is constructed above the church ruins

Since 1980

 

Repair measures begin

1995

 

The permanent exhibition on the monastery's history opens at the information center

1996

 

The 800th anniversary of the monastery's existence is celebrated

 
 
Technische Beratung, Gestaltung, Konzept und Umsetzung: Ralf Gatzki und Friederike Rook