The entire complex of the today’s cloister has almost a 150 years old tradition. The main building was once built as a recreation house from the “Wasserheilanstalt-Gesellschaft zu Johannisberg” (water healing company).

 

After some years of not using the building, the sister of the Benedictine moved into the former sanatorium. As self-dependent priorate of the Benedictine sisters it was found in 1907 and named Johanniskloster after a church in Niederlahnstein.

 

The cloister in Niederlahnstein often suffered from high water. At the request of the bishop of that time they decided to move the cloister to Johannisberg.

 

At the 28th August 1920 the sisters moved into their new cloister which still was missing a church. Therefore a hall was used temporarily to place the sanctum. But the building soon got to small for all the arriving pilgrims.

 

For that reason the eastern wing was increased with one floor in 1923 and later in 1926 the western wing of the building. 1927 were living 79 sisters of Benedictine in the cloister.

 

The foundation stone for the church was laid on 30th September 1928 which was inaugurated the 10th August 1929 by Bishop Hugo of Mainz. The chapel was dedicated to the immaculate conception of Mary. Since this day the cloister is carrying the name “Maria Immaculata”.

 

During the shortage of raw materials in the Second World War, most of the bells and monuments were melt down in many places. As well the church was bereft of its bells. In the same year the first prioress “Mother Clara Fischenich” appointed her office to “Mother Xaveria Nussbaum”. Since the destruction of the parish church of Johannisberg in 1942 the halls in the under church of the cloister were used for the whole community. At the request of the bishop a residential home for the elderly was formed which counted in 1962 still 24 beds.

 

In the night from 19th to 20th July 1944 the cloister suffered a great damage as an aerial mine fell in a near beck. After the end of the war the church received again 3 bells in 1948.

 

The sisters of the Benedictines were living in dure conclave. Their duties were the daily praising of god and the holy sacraments. The main source of income was the bakery of the altar bread, stichery and the old people’s home.

 

In the beginning of the 60’s they started to cultivate wine. The wine yards were farmed by the castle Johannisberg.

 

In the end of the 20th century the cloister was closed due to the shortage of young people and obsolescence. The last nuns left the cloister 1991.

 

After a bountiful renovation of the diocese Limburg the nuns of the “Steyler Mission” moved into the cloister in 1993 and offered a great variety of cultural and mental activities as well as the possibility to accommodate in the cloister.

 

1996 the new catholic rectory moved into a part of the rooms of the under church. The last nuns of the “Steyler Mission” left the cloister in the end of 2004.

 

In spring 2006 opened the Hotel Kloster Johannisberg. Therewith the building can tie up to his historic meaning.