ABSTRACT
The former Cistercian monastery of Maulbronn is one of Europe’s most complete and best-preserved medieval monastery complexes. It was founded in 1147 on an area of 145 hectares. It combines a multitude of architectural styles, from Romanesque to late Gothic, in one place – creating a unique atmosphere. The monastery is a former Cistercian abate founded in 1138 and finally settled in Maulbronn in 1147. The monastery developed to an economic, social and political center of the region. From 1156, the monastery became a bailiwick of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor Friedrich II. The building ensemble offers a homogenous general view, not least because of the used regional sandstones, but includes also outstanding architectonical highlights. The entrance hall to the monastery church, called Paradies, is a masterpiece of an unknown master builder. The stony part of the circular shaped Brunnenhaus with five tracery windows was built in the 13th and 14th centuries.
