Hirsau Monastery (Kloster) is situated 2km south of Calw. It was built by the Benedictine order in the 11th century. It was one of Germany’s most powerful monasteries, with many dependent congregations and houses under its direct influence. French troops destroyed it in 1692, leaving much of it in ruins to this day. The Klosterkirche basilica survives, however, which is the largest Romanesque church in the region. The Marienkapelle is now a Protestant chapel. The Kloster Museum is open to exhibit the various finds and historical information about the monastery.
