In case that you read and looked previous reviews and their attached photos like I did before I went to this World Heritage Site, you would immediately have noticed that a lot have changed when you saw the famous Gatehouse of Lorsch Abbey. This is something remarkable especially for World Heritage Sites that well known for their preservation status. Since 2014 the whole complex has been transformed into opened stylish modern lawn park, no wall and no tree to obscure the view of the old Romanesque Church behind the Gatehouse. The Germans transformed the whole landscape and made the church to be the main focus of the whole park and forming the nice straight vista between the Gatehouse and the Church.

The Gatehouse was indeed really nice, I really loved the bricks alignments making at least three different patterns creating “levels” to the building, something simple but really beautiful. I hardly believed its old age as the Gatehouse was in perfect condition, new and shiny. I walked to the church and really surprised to find that there was no wall. It was simply become an open hall, maybe when they restored the church, they decided to take out all thing that was not originally from Carolingian time. Because the wall was out, I was amazed how strong of the structure to still standing despite its Early Middle Age origin. Well apart from the Gatehouse and the church hall, there was nothing much to see, since I did not plan to join the tour, I only spent 30 minutes on this site and enjoyed the lovely city of Lorsch instead.

Since other reviews already explained its significances, I had nothing much to add. Lorsch Abbey was a nice site, very old but surrounded with contemporary park design, a contrast that I really appreciated. The site may a bit underwhelming but fortunately its location is so great that the visit can be combined with other World Heritage Sites and other beautiful places such as Heidelberg, so Lorsch is a perfect World Heritage Site for a quick stop category.