Maria Laach Abbey

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Construction of this serene abbey began in 1093, and took almost 100 years to complete. Its Paradise, a colonnaded porch surrounding a small courtyard, was added in 1225, and harkens back to early Christian architecture. The basilica, with its six towers, is a rare piece of Romanesque architecture, as most usually only have two or three. During World War II, many of the renovations that added Gothic and Baroque elements were reverted to the original Romanesque style. Relics of the church’s long history abound, with the 13th century tomb of its founder Pfalzgraf Heinrich II, 16th-century murals, a Late Romanesque baldachino, and modern decorations such as mosaics from 1910 and stained glass windows from the 1950s being of particular interest. A variety of fresh produce from the monastery orchard and gardens can be found in the small shop, including everything from allergy free apples to black currant liqueur.