Lorsch Abbey, otherwise the Imperial Abbey of Lorsch (german: Reichsabtei Lorsch; la, Laureshamense Monasterium or ''Laurissa''), is a former

Imperial abbey Princely abbeys (german: Fürstabtei, ''Fürststift'') and Imperial abbeys (german: Reichsabtei, ''Reichskloster'', ''Reichsstift'', ''Reichsgotthaus'') were religious establishments within the Holy Roman Empire which enjoyed the status of impe ...

Lorsch Lorsch is a town in the Bergstraße district in Hessen, Germany, 60 km south of Frankfurt. Lorsch is well known for the Lorsch Abbey, which has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Geography Location Lorsch lies about 5 km wes ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, about east of

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. It was one of the most renowned monasteries of the

Carolingian Empire The Carolingian Empire (800–888) was a large Frankish-dominated empire in western and central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as kings of the Franks since 751 and as kings of the Lom ...

. Even in its ruined state, its remains are among the most important pre- Romanesque– Carolingian style buildings in Germany. Its chronicle, entered in the '' Lorscher Codex'' compiled in the 1170s (now in the state archive at

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...

), is a fundamental document for early medieval German history. Another famous document from the monastic library is the ''Codex Aureus'' of Lorsch. In 1991 the ruined abbey was listed as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

because of its architectural and historical importance.

Historic names

The following historical names have been recorded: * In the 8th century: Laurisham * In the 9th century: Lorishaim * 9th and 11th centuries: Loresham * 9th–10th centuries: Laurishaim * 10th century: Laresham * 10th–12th centuries: Lareshaeim and Lauresheim * 11th–12th centuries: Lauresham * 11th century: Larsem, Loraszam, Lorozam, Lorisham * 12th century: Laurisca, Laurisham, Laureshan, Loressam, Lorisheym, Lorscheim, Lors

History

Founding

The abbey was founded in 764 by the Frankish Count

Cancor Cancor (died 771) was a Frankish count associated with Lorsch Abbey. He was son of a noble lady Williswinda. As her only known husband before she was widowed was named Robert, it has been proposed that Cancor was son to Robert I, Count of Hesbaye, w ...

and his widowed mother, Williswinda, as a

proprietary church {{Short pages monitor

List of abbots

In 468 years, the monastery had 47 abbots..''Germania Benedictina'', Vol. 7: Die benediktinischen Mönchs- und Nonnenklöster in Hessen. (St. Ottilien, 2004), pp. 768–853.

Notes

References

External links

Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch: UNESCO Official Website

Lorsch Abbey: official website

Codex Laureshamensis, volume 1–3
Charters of Lorsch Abbey in Latin at

Austrian Literature Online Austrian Literature Online (ALO) is an Austrian digitization project by the University Library of Innsbruck, the University Library of Graz and the University of Linz. ALO is, together with Project ANNO, by the Austrian National Library, the larg ...

edited by Karl Glöckner, Darmstadt, 1929–1936.
Interactive map of the property of Lorsch Abbey
at ''Regnum Francorum Online''

virtualization of the monastic library of Lorsch Abbey {{Authority control 8th-century religious buildings and structures Benedictine monasteries in Germany Premonstratensian monasteries in Germany Monasteries in Hesse Carolingian architecture Buildings and structures in Bergstraße (district) Tobacco buildings Christian monasteries established in the 8th century Museums in Hesse Religious museums in Germany World Heritage Sites in Germany 8th-century establishments in Germany Burial sites of the Carolingian dynasty Religious buildings and structures completed in 764