Mainz Charterhouse

Mainz Charterhouse was a significant former Carthusian monastery situated on the Michelsberg in Mainz, Germany. Founded in 1320, it holds the distinction of being the first Carthusian foundation in Germany. The monastery was dedicated to Saint Michael and received its site from Archbishop Peter von Aspelt.

History and Significance

The charterhouse's construction began shortly after its founding, with the church consecrated in 1350. It garnered imperial protection from Emperor Charles IV in 1361. The monastery faced destruction in 1552 during the Second Margrave War but was rebuilt, managing to survive largely intact through the Thirty Years' War and other conflicts. During the 1689 siege of Mainz, it even served as a headquarters for prominent military and electoral figures.

A period of renewed prosperity occurred in the early 18th century under Prior Michael Welcken, who oversaw the renewal of all buildings, including the magnificent painting of the church in 1715 and the furnishing of the choir with valuable altars and choir stalls between 1723 and 1726. Each monk's cell was designed as a self-contained living space with multiple rooms and a garden.

Dissolution and Demolition

In 1781, Prince-Bishop and Elector Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal initiated the dissolution of the charterhouse by Pope Pius VI. Its assets were transferred to the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. The monastic complex itself was eventually purchased by the Elector and subsequently demolished between 1790 and 1792, with the church, cloister, and residential buildings being razed. The site was then incorporated into the gardens of the adjacent Schloss Favorite. Today, the memory of Mainz Charterhouse is preserved by the street name "Karthaus" and a fountain erected in 1912 featuring Saint Bruno of Cologne, the founder of the Carthusian Order.