Discover Schönau: Monastic History and a City Walk

Schönau has a cultural and historical focus: the history of the Cistercian monastery can be explored on the city walk, through a marker in the streetscape and at the Hühnerfautei Museum. If you also choose a destination for its historical themes, these stops offer concrete points of reference for planning your stay. When looking for a hotel in Schönau, they can help you decide what you would like to focus on during your trip.

Monastic History and Urban Development

In 1142, Cistercian monks founded a monastery in a secluded valley of the “beautiful meadow” at the confluence of the Steinach and Greiner Bach streams. The abbey was dissolved in 1558 during the Reformation. The founding and dissolution thus mark two important points in the monastery’s history. The founding account also identifies a specific location: the valley where the two streams meet.

The town of Schönau, together with the “Alt Schönau” association, has developed a historic walking tour. Numbered stops offer insights into the former monastery complex and the town’s development in later centuries. The route thus draws attention both to the monastic past and to the town’s subsequent history. The stops provide a thematic framework for exploring these different periods during the walk.

Walking Tour and Digital Information

There is also the “Altstadtrundgang Schönau” app. It explains the history of the monastery complex in its present and original forms and includes one tour for adults and another for children and young people. The app was developed for smartphones and tablets. The “Alt Schönau” association says it can be downloaded free of charge. Before using it, check whether the download is available for your device.

Another trace of the former monastery complex is marked in the streetscape today: in Schönau, large sandstone paving stones in a contrasting finish highlight the original remains beneath the street surface. This visible marker in the townscape complements the historical information along the walking tour. While the stops and app explain the history, the paving points to the original remains beneath the street surface.

Hühnerfautei Museum: Opening Hours 2026

The Hühnerfautei Museum of cultural history offers another point of interest for a visit focused on history. According to the 2026 events calendar, the museum is open from 19 April on Sundays from 2:30 to 5:00 pm, as well as during special events. Changes are possible. If you are planning a museum visit, check the dates and opening hours in advance.

The Wider Rhein-Neckar-Kreis Area

The wider destination of Rhein-Neckar-Kreis has other historical highlights, each associated with its own location. Schwetzingen Palace, the former residence of the Electors Palatine, has a Rococo theatre and a world-famous park. In Ladenburg, much of the historic town centre still reflects the Middle Ages and, in part, Roman times. Parts of the former town wall and defensive towers have been preserved in Wiesloch. These examples offer different points of interest from Schönau’s monastic history and city walk.

The landscape and activities also shape the wider destination. The Bergstraße and the eastern part of Rhein-Neckar-Kreis lie within the Neckartal-Odenwald Nature Park. Eberbach has 150 kilometres of marked hiking trails. The annual “Ab in den Wald” programme offers free guided forest tours and excursions throughout Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Thus, alongside Schönau’s cultural and historical themes, the wider region offers nature and hiking options as well as guided forest excursions as distinct themes to explore.

Discover more destinations: Laudenbach, Helmstadt-Bargen, Eberbach, Neckargemünd, Sandhausen, Weinheim, Gaiberg, Heidelberg

Go to the wider travel overview: Rhein-Neckar-Kreis.