Michelstadt - Einhardsbasilika

The Carolingian "Einhardsbasilika" can be found in Steinbach, a district of Michelstadt, next to the moated castle of Fuerstenau.

Einhard, educated by monks in Fulda, was an important adviser of Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious. He is the author of the "Vita Karoli Magni", the biography of Charlemagne. He was the successor of Alcuin of York and possibly of friend of Bernhard of Aniane. Einhard was a well connected intellectual of his time, maybe an early "spin doctor".

Louis the Pious gave Einhard this property for the foundation of an abbey. Einhard started the erection of the three nave basilica, that he had planned as a burial place, in 824. Einhard had even sent his servant Ratleik to Rome, to acquire some relics. When Ratleik returned, he had the relics of martyrs St. Marcellinus and St. Peter. Though it was illegal to "steal" relics from the catacombs in Rome, Ratleik had been very sucessful. But as soon as the relics were placed here, Einhard suffered from haunting nightmares. It came out, that the relics did not like the place at all. They suffered as well. So Einhard had them transferred to a Seligenstadt (50kms north), where he built another Einhardbasilika. The relics felt comfortable and Einhard and his wife Emma found a burial place there as well.

The Einhardbasilika seen here, got forgotten totally. Altered and rebuilt many times, vogtei of the Lorsch abbey, then a nunnery for a while, later a hospital and finally a barn. The basilica was saved as it had served as a burial ground for the House of Erbach in the 14th century. So the Counts just paid some repairs from time to time.

When the Einhardbasilica was "discovered" as a part of a Carollingian monastery in the 1870s, it was about to collapse. For decades it was hidden under scaffoldings - but since it has a new roof, it is "safe" again.

The central nave of the basilica, facing east to the apse. The large window on the right - opened to the arm of the transept in the 9th century. The clerestory is "in place", the side aisles do not exist any longer, but the arcades are clearly visible. The oldest tomb slabs in the basilica date back to the 12th century.