Kloster Marienhausen

The existence of Marienhausen Monastery is documented since 1189, when it was subordinated to Eberbach Abbey. It was referred to as “cella sororum Clarevallensis ordinis in loco, qui Hvsen dicitur”. The founder may have been the Mainz Vitztum Konrad, whose son Gisilbert von Rüdesheim initially served as the monastery's bailiff. As early as 1180, nuns from Marienhausen were sent to found Kumbd Monastery, indicating an even earlier age for the institution. In 1219, the monastery church was consecrated. Over time, the monastery acquired extensive lands, including cleared land, forest plots, and estates in the surrounding area and beyond the Rhine. Sheep farming led to conflicts with the village population of Aulhausen in the 14th century, whereupon Archbishop Gerlach von Nassau limited sheep farming to 500 animals in 1352. In the 13th century, Marienhausen received several papal letters of protection. From the second half of the 16th century, the name Marienhausen became established. In 1745, the convent comprised 22 choir nuns and six lay sisters. The monastery buildings were rebuilt between 1752 and 1753. Thanks to good economic management, the monastery was able to maintain itself until the 19th century and was initially exempted from secularization in 1803. It was not until February 1811 that Duke Friedrich August dissolved the monastery. The interior furnishings were distributed among various churches and museums. After secularization, the complex became private property before being acquired by the Diocese of Limburg in 1888. From 1889, it served as the boys' correctional facility “Zum Heiligen Josef”. A fire in 1915 caused significant damage, and reconstruction took place in 1925. In 1924, the Salesians of Don Bosco took over the sponsorship of the children's and youth home.

The former Cistercian convent of Marienhausen is located northeast of the old village center of Aulhausen, a district of Rüdesheim am Rhein. It is situated in the Rheingau-Taunus district in Hesse, Germany, beyond the Eichbach stream, which flows west into the Rhine.

Since 1991, the complex has been used by the St. Vincenzstift Aulhausen and Rettungsanstalt zum Hl. Josef Foundation as a special education center and youth welfare facility Marienhausen. Here, up to 65 children and young people with developmental deficits are cared for in residential and day groups. The monastery church was renovated starting in 2010 and, in 2014, for its 825th anniversary, was redesigned with modern artworks by artists with disabilities. A medieval lectern support returned to its original place on this occasion.

• Niederwald Castle (Rüdesheim) (Castle, approx. 1480 m away)
• Rossel Castle Ruin (Castle, approx. 2252 m away)
• Nothgottes Monastery (Sacred building, approx. 2302 m away)
• St. Hildegard's Abbey (Rüdesheim) (Sacred building, approx. 2366 m away)