Reinhardsbrunn
Encyclopedia
Reinhardsbrunn in Friedrichroda
near Gotha
, in Thuringia
in Germany
, is the site of a formerly prominent Benedictine abbey extant between 1085 and 1525, and, from 1827, of a royal castle and park of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family.
of Thuringia, against the background of the Investiture Controversy
and the Hirsau Reforms, with which it was closely connected. The monastery stood under Papal protection from 1093.
It was also of significance as the family monastery of the Counts of Thuringia.
The monastery was looted and sacked in 1525 in the German Peasants' War
. The monks took refuge in Gotha and the site was sold to the Electors of Saxony
, who allowed the buildings to fall into ruin.
, when, after some time in the hands of the state, the house and estate were used for a short time by Soviet Russia
n forces as a military hospital and then for various functions by the government of the DDR, who opened it as a showpiece hotel in 1961. After 1991 the castle with its facilities and park passed into private ownership, only to be closed in 2001. Its future seems still to be uncertain.
Friedrichroda
Friedrichroda is a town in the district of Gotha, Thuringia, Germany. It is situated at the north foot of the Thuringian Forest, 21 km by rail southwest of the town of Gotha. It is surrounded by fir-clad hills and possesses numerous handsome villa residences, a Kurhaus and a sanatorium...
near Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
, in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is the site of a formerly prominent Benedictine abbey extant between 1085 and 1525, and, from 1827, of a royal castle and park of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family.
Monastery
Reinhardsbrunn Abbey (in German Kloster Reinhardsbrunn) was a house of the Benedictine Order founded in 1085 by Count Ludwig the JumperRulers of Thuringia
This is a list of the rulers of Thuringia, an historical and political region of Central Germany.-Kings of Thuringia:*450–500 Bisinus*500–530 Baderich*500–530 Berthachar*500–531 Herminafried*fl...
of Thuringia, against the background of the Investiture Controversy
Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
and the Hirsau Reforms, with which it was closely connected. The monastery stood under Papal protection from 1093.
It was also of significance as the family monastery of the Counts of Thuringia.
The monastery was looted and sacked in 1525 in the German Peasants' War
German Peasants' War
The German Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe, 1524–1526. At its height in the spring and summer of 1525, the conflict involved an estimated 300,000 peasants: contemporary estimates put the dead at 100,000...
. The monks took refuge in Gotha and the site was sold to the Electors of Saxony
Rulers of Saxony
This article lists Dukes, Electors, and Kings ruling over different territories named Saxony from the beginning of the Saxon Duchy in the 9th century to the end of the Saxon Kingdom in 1918.-Dukes of Saxony:...
, who allowed the buildings to fall into ruin.
Castle and park
In 1827 Duke Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who had inherited the site, built a country house here - Schloss Reinhardsbrunn - in the English style, surrounded by a pleasure garden. The royal family kept possession until World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when, after some time in the hands of the state, the house and estate were used for a short time by Soviet Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n forces as a military hospital and then for various functions by the government of the DDR, who opened it as a showpiece hotel in 1961. After 1991 the castle with its facilities and park passed into private ownership, only to be closed in 2001. Its future seems still to be uncertain.