Visitors can also follow in the footsteps of Hermann Hesse, the famous writer and winner of the Nobel Prize. Hesse, whose works include "Steppenwolf" and "Siddhartha", was born in the medieval town of Calw in the beautiful Nagold valley. Impressive monuments to the history of the monasteries can still be seen here today. The Benedictine Monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul at Hirsau conveys a very real sense of monastic life. Hirsau Monastery ruins are also a venue for plays and the acclaimed Aurelius concerts. The monastery garden is a must. A herb garden laid out to a medieval design, it has native medicinal plants in around 40 beds and 50 different species featured in Hildegard of Bingen's book of herbal remedies. There is an extremely well preserved former Cistercian monastery at Maulbronn in the secluded valley of the Salzach. It dates back around 850 years and is in a beautiful setting surrounded by reservoirs, vineyards and quarries. The unique and beautiful monastery is now a UNESCO world cultural heritage site.
What the Cistercian monks created here seems destined for eternity. Maulbronn Monastery retained its status after the Reformation and its conversion to a monastery school. Johannes Keppler and Friedrich Hölderlin are two of the great minds who were educated there. This northern Black Forest monastery pilgrimage route offers beautiful countryside, culinary delights, hospitable hosts and a wealth of history and culture. The route is also particularly delightful in winter.