Heiligenberg - The Sacred Mountain of the Bergstrasse

Historic View of Heiligenberg

Located just east of Jugenheim and bordered by the Stettbacher Valley in the north and the Balkhäuser Valley to the south, lies the Bergstrasse’s sacred mountain, the Heiligenberg.  The mountain’s distant history and the origin of its name remain lost to time; however, it is believed that a Celtic cult site may have existed on the mountain centuries ago.  Whether the mountain's history is as old as Celtic times may not be certain; however, we can be fairly sure that a fortification and holy sanctuary existed on Heiligenberg at least as far back as Carolingian times from the artefacts which have been found there. At present, there are several impressive sites on Heiligenberg, which make it an interesting spot for a day out, especially if combined with a hike along one of the many nearby trails.

Ruins of the Nunnery

The Nunnery

In the 13th century, Konrad II von Bickenbach and his wife, Rude von Falkenstein, founded a nunnery on Heiligenberg as a place of refuge for noble widows and spinsters.  The nunnery was transferred to Lorsch Abbey in 1413, though in 1461, the Heiligenberg convent (along with Lorsch Abbey's other territories) was mortgaged to the Electoral Palatinate.  The convent, along with all others under the control of the Palatinate, were secularised in 1556 as a result of the reformation.  By the end of the Thirty Years War, the nunnery lay in ruins; however, its vineyards were still being cultivated.

The Court at the Linden Tree (Zentlinde)

The Zentlinde

Just beside the ruins of the nunnery, you’ll see a linden tree that is over 800 years old, a silent witness to the passing centuries on the Heiligenberg.  This tree is one of the oldest in Germany and was the setting for court proceedings at least as far back as 1399, when a defendant was tried there for stealing geese.  It is thought, however, that Heiligenberg was a place of assembly as far back as Frankish times.

The tradition of holding a judicial court under a linden tree is an ancient German tradition, and the tree under which the court is held is called a Zentlinden.  The word “zent” comes from the Latin word for centre, meaning one hundred, as one hundred families were represented by the court.   The meetings were held once a year, mostly in the autumn, under the shade of the linden tree, though special sessions could be called if needed.  The court dealt with issues such as theft, fraud, adultery, witchcraft, brawls and even murder.  A court met under Jugenheim’s Zentlinden until the mid 16th century.

The Palace

Heiligenberg Palace

In 1810, August Konrad Hofmann (later the ennobled Freiherr von Hofmann) received Heiligenberg in appreciation for his service to the Grand Duke of Hessen and laid out an agricultural estate on the mountain.  He built a manor house, outbuildings, orchards and vineyards and even had water piped over from nearby Tannenberg mountain.

Grand Duchess Wilhelmine
von Hessen und bei Rhine

In 1827, the Grand Duchess Wilhelmine von Hessen und bei Rhein bought the estate and used it as a summer residence, and eventually she and her husband, Grand Duke Ludwig II, converted the manor house into a palace.  In keeping with the romantic spirit of the age, the Grand Duchess kept the convent as an artistic ruin and had the grounds around the palace laid out in the style of an English garden.

From 1856, the couple’s third son, Prince Alexander von Hessen und bei Rhein, and his wife, Princess Julia von Battenberg, who were the founders of the noble Battenberg/Mountbatten line, made further renovations to Heiligenberg palace and used it as their summer residence. The palace was a regular gathering place for nobility, including the Tsars Alexander II, Alexander III and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his wife, Alexandra (from the house of Hessen und bei Rhein and granddaughter to Queen Victoria).

Prince Louis Alexander
von Battenberg

In 1920, the couple’s son, Prince Louis Alexander von Battenberg (later Louis Mountbatten), having gotten into financial difficulties after leaving his career in the British navy, sold the palace to two investors, Dr. Theodor Görges and his son in-law, Heinrich Prince of Hohenleuben. By 1930, however, the palace was in the hands of the State of Hessen as payment for a tax debt.  The building was then used by a National Socialists’ girls association, as a home economics school and, until the end of World War II, as a hospital for contagious diseases.  After the Second World War, the interior of the palace was renovated and housed various schools and institutions, most recently a teacher training institute that existed until 2011.  From 2012, it’s been used as a wedding venue, concerts and art exhibition hall.

The Russian House

A half-timbered house was built near the palace in 1870 to accommodate the servants of Tsar Alexander II and his wife Marie, who were regular visitors to Heiligenberg.  This was known as the Russian House, and it later served as a residential building.  Left to fall into decay, it wasn’t renovated until 2010.  The Russian House now serves as a museum shop and information centre, and here you can find information and guided tours about the history of Heiligenberg, the Battenberg family and their connections to many royal European houses in German, English and Russian.  The palace also has a restaurant that serves both light fare and hot meals.

The Mausoleum and Golden Cross

The Mausoleum

Near the nunnery ruins, the Battenberg family built a mausoleum for Prince Alexander and his wife Julia in 1902 and later this became a memorial chapel to the House of Battenberg.  It also includes a memorial for Louis Mountbatten (Prince Alexander’s grandson), who was murdered by the IRA in 1979.   Beside the mausoleum, is a 2.4 meter high golden cross, erected in 1866 to commemorate the Grand Duchess Wilhelmine von Hessen und bei Rhine.   

The Church

A bit further down the mountain, just above Jugenheim, Konrad II von Bickenbach erected a Catholic chapel (11 x 8 meters) in 1263. The small structure was rebuilt and expanded in 1480 with the

addition of the side aisles, a church bell, a statue of Archangel Michael and a baptismal font, which is now in the nunnery ruins at the top of the mountain. After the reformation, sometime between 1539 - 46, the church became Evangelical, and in 1575, the tower was raised with the construction of a new roof.  The chapel survived the Thirty Years War relatively unscathed, however, the organ was destroyed.

In 1856, Prince Alexander sponsored major renovations to the Evangelical church on Heiligenberg, including a new sacristy and prince’s chair.  The organ was also moved over the entrance to the church. The Russian Tzarina at the time,  Maria, donated precious ceremonial covers of red velvet with gold embroider to the church and two heavy silver plates.

Address:	Auf dem Heiligenberg 8 , 64342 Seeheim-Jugenheim +49 (0) 06257 999 34 90 info@heiligenberg-jugenheim.de  http://www.heiligenberg-jugenheim.de/
Opening Hours:	The Russia House: Winter: January Closed From November 1st - March 31st Saturday and Sunday 12:00 - 16:30 Summer: April 1 - October 31 Saturday 14:00 - 17:00 Sunday 12:00 - 17:00 The Restaurant: Thursday to Sunday 10:00 - 22:00 The Grounds: Open year round
Fees:	There is no charge to visit the grounds of the Heiligenberg.  See the website or contact the palace administration for fees associated with tours and events.
Getting There:	There is no bus service to the top of Heiligenberg.  You can either walk up from Jugenheim or take a private vehicle. There is a parking lot behind the castle.

Sources:

“Ev. Gemeindehaus Jugenheim.” Evang. Gemeindenetz Nördliche Bergstraße, www.ev-gemeindenetz-nb.de/home/jugenheim/ev-bergkirche-jugenheim/.

Tuerk, Rainer. “Auf Dem Alemannenweg Ein OdenwäLder Wandererlebnis.” Auf Dem Alemannenweg Ein Odenwaelder Wandererlebnis, Brunnengraeber, 2009, pp. 67–69.

“Willkommen Auf Dem Heiligenberg.” Stiftung Heiligenberg Jugenheim, www.heiligenberg-jugenheim.de/.