Kloster Eberbach

Kloster Eberbach is set in a snug, little hollow at the upper reaches of the vineyards. This former Cistercian monastery enjoyed 700 years of prosperity thanks to the production of wine. The Cistercian monks led an austere, silent life of prayer and hard work, allotting only a few hours a night for sleep on hard, narrow wooden pallets. Stroll through the quiet cloisters and cool halls with their graceful fan-vaulted ceilings to the refectory, which now houses an impressive collection of enormous old wine presses. The severe architecture, plain plaster walls, and lack of embellishments mirror the austere lifestyle led by the monks. (10 am–6 pm, April to October; 10 am–4 pm, November to March.)