Hersfeld Abbey

Hersfeld Abbey was an important Benedictine imperial abbey in the town of Bad Hersfeld in Hesse (formerly in Hesse-Nassau), Germany, at the confluence of the rivers Geisa, Haune and Fulda. The ruins are now a medieval festival venue.

Hersfeld was founded by Saint Sturm, a disciple of Saint Boniface, before 744. Because its location rendered it vulnerable to attacks from the Saxons, however, he transferred it to Fulda. Some years later, in or about 769 after the defeat of the Saxons by the Franks, Lullus, archbishop of Mainz, re-founded the monastery at Hersfeld.

Charlemagne (who had recently succeeded to the Frankish royal crown) and other benefactors provided endowments, and in 775 gave it the status of a Reichsabtei (lit. 'imperial abbey'); i.e., territorially independent prince-abbacy within the empire.

Pope Stephen III granted it exemption from episcopal jurisdiction. It soon possessed 1050 hides of land and a community of 150 monks.

Lullus was buried in the church at his death in 786. The abbey buildings were extended between 831 and 850, and in 852 Lullus' grave was moved to the new basilica. During this ceremony Lullus' canonisation was formally announced by Rabanus Maurus. (The Lullusfest, or 'Feast of Saint Lullus', has been celebrated in Hersfeld since then, on 16 October and is the longest-established local festival in the German-speaking world.)

During the abbacy of Abbott Druogo (875–892) the first known Hersfeld Tithe Register was written from 881 onwards. An additional tithe register was prepared before 899 during the abbacy of Abbott Harderat.

The abbey had already become a place of pilgrimage after 780, because of the relics of Saint Wigbert which were brought here at that time. A valuable library was collected, the annals of the monastery were regularly kept, and it became well known as a seat of piety and learning. Towards the close of the 10th century, Hersfeld suffered from the general decline of the age, and monastic discipline became relaxed. In 1005, the observance was reformed by Saint Gotthard (afterwards Bishop of Hildesheim), and members of the community were sent out to other houses of the order to carry out in them the work of religious revival.

During the Investiture Controversy, Hersfeld took the side of the imperial cause against the papacy. Emperor Henry IV himself visited it quite often, sometimes accompanied by his wife; and his son and successor son Conrad of Italy was born and baptized within the precincts of the abbey. In the last decade of the 11th century the abbey seems to have been fully restored to papal favour, and it continued to prosper for a long subsequent period.