Famous monastery of the Cistercian order in a wooded valley behind the municipality of Eltville-Hattenheim in the Rheingau. The first settlement at this location was made by Augustinian canons in 1116. In 1136, Cistercian monks from the mother monastery of Clairvaux in Champagne settled in the area, which is considered the year the monastery was founded. It is said that they also brought Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir) and probably other varieties of the time with them from France. This makes the monastery one of the oldest wine-growing operations in Germany.
The monastery, which initially consisted of twelve brothers, quickly developed into one of the largest and most important monasteries in Germany with 150 monks and 600 lay brothers. After secularisation in 1803, it was used for secular purposes, namely as a women's prison, a "lunatic asylum", cattle stables and a tenant farm. The first construction phase took place from 1145 to 1160, the second from 1170 to 1186 and the extension of the monastery building in Steinbauwiese from 1190 to 1230. In the 12th century, the Taunus slopes were cleared. Around 1500, Eberbach Monastery owned 700 acres (175 hectares) of vineyards; the monks sold over half of the yield.
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