MAULBRONN

'Maulbronn' is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1838, it emerged from a settlement, built about a monastery, which belonged to the Neckar Community in the Kingdom of Württemberg. In 1886, Maulbronn officially became a city and was an administrative center until 1938. The return of many displaced persons following the Second World War significantly raised the city's population.
Of particular note is the city's monastery, Maulbronn Abbey, which features prominently in Hermann Hesse's novel, ''Beneath the Wheel''. The formerly Cistercian monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
Legend has it that the city was founded by monks who followed a mule to valley with a source of clean water. The valley was also blessed with large deposits of soft sandstone for building. The monks built the original abbey and erected a fountain to honor the mule. The cities name means mule fountain.