Morlesau

---

Father Dominik Lutz wrote a history of the village of Morlesau.

M O R L E S A U

History of a Village on the Franconian Saale

* * *

Morlesau is situated on the lower stretches of the Saale river at the foot of the mighty Sodenberg. „Unforgettable scenery“ is the name given to this spot around Hammelburg
by the poet Anton Schnack, who was born there.

Father Dominik Lutz, a native of Morlesau, handed down to us a number of historical findings about the former

„Combined Municipality of Morlesau/Ochsenthal/Sodenberg.“

Over the centuries, the name of the village has come to be spelt in many different ways. Morlesau, the present version, has been around roughly since 1850.

The region around the Franconian Saale was inhabited by prehistoric settlers. Numerous grave mounds, especially those from the La-Tène period around 450 B.C., bear witness to this distant past.

The village is situated in the former MARK HAMMELBURG, once a royal lien of Charlemagne which he gave as a present to the newly founded abbey of Fulda in 777.
In the Middle Ages, this southernmost tip of Fulda territory was a focal point of the sovereign powers of the bishops of Würzburg and the abbots of Fulda, on the one hand, and the adventurous, up-and-coming clans of knights and counts: the Rieneck, Hutten, Thüngen and others.

Liens and donations, inheritance and disputes about heirloom make up the turbulent history of the municipality of Morlesau on the Franconian Saale in times of the rule of knights, the Thüngen, the Juliusspital, the university of Würzburg, and the counts of Leiningen. In 1618, Neidhart von Thüngen pledged the village to the university of Würzburg. In 1660, the Juliusspital acquired it.

In 1683, Würzburg was appointed to levy the tithe in Morlesau. For a long time, the Thüngen, the university, and the Juliusspital jointly ruled the village, every ruler appointing their mayor. Small wonder that the villagers never knew who was their lord today and would be their master tomorrow.

The plague, famine and war often struck the village. In 1796, the records tell of
invasions by marauding French soldiers; Napoleon’s wars imposed high contributions on the village.

In 1816, together with the Fulda municipality of Hammelburg, Morlesau came under the Bavarian crown.

In 1822, the “combined municipality” of Morlesau/Ochsenthal erected a school building.

The small church in the Late Gothic style is consecrated to St. Cyriacus. It was built probably around 1550. A father of the Hammelburg Altstadt monastery conducts service alternately in Morlesau and Ochsenthal.

Morlesau is an idyllic, typical peasants’ village. The populatien’s sources of income are farming, forestry, and animal husbandry. 52.5 percent of the village area is covered with forest. Wine used to be grown until the turn of the century.

Morlesau, too, had a castle many years ago; the Arnstein ruin is situated between Morlesau and Ochsenthal. When it was destroyed or simply delapidated is anybody’s guess. The absence of any references in the archives makes it likely that the castle was abandoned before the period of deserted settlements in the late Middle Ages, i. e. prior to 1300.

The striking characteristic of the Arnstein ruin is its hexagonal tower in a strictly square layout of the place, a rare design in the history of castles.

1970 was a year of weighty decisions: land reform and re-arrangement of local government. Since January 1, 1972, Morlesau has been part of the town of Hammelburg. The former districts of Hammelburg, Bad Brückenau and Bad Kissingen were merged to form the greater district of Bad Kissingen.

* * *

M o r l e s a u

Pearl of the Franconian Saale Valley

Morlesau/Ochsenthal, part of the town of Hammelburg, is an isle of rest and recreation not affected by through traffic, situated in one of the most beautiful corners of the valley of the Franconian Saale between Gemünden am Main and Bad Kissingen.

Morlesau/Ochsenthal has a number of active clubs. Most inhabitants do unpaid work for their clubs. Festivities are arranged throughout the year, e.g., by sports clubs, music clubs or the voluntary fire brigade.

There is a soccer field and club house of the sports club.

The Morlesau/Ochsenthal band in their traditional costume once a week rehearse at the former school.

There is also a children’s playground.

Wellness: Contact Ms. Kerstin Bürkl (phone 09357-992248) for an appointment.
Cosmetic – medical podology – whole-body cosmetics.

* * *

Morlesau has always been a favorite place of tourists. Tourism dates from 1919 when my father, Kilian Nöth, in addition to running his farm, opened an inn, the

“Gasthaus von Kilian Nöth.“

A railway line between Gemünden am Main and Bad Kissingen was built. Its first stretch between Gemünden and Hammelburg opened in 1884, the extension to Bad Kissingen, in 1924.

This and the proximity of Bad Kissingen may have been the reasons for the rising demand for tourist beds. My father consequently decided in 1925 to build the

“Pension Nöth” with, then, sixty beds.

In 1959, my husband and I took over from my father. In almost forty years, we succeeded in expanding and modernizing the

”Hotel – Pension Nöth - Gourmet Restaurant .”

In 1983, our son Harald and his wife Elisabeth, after many years spent professionally in Germany and abroad, joined their parents’ operation.

Love of the profession, and the pleasure to entertain guests, helped to make the
Hotel – Pension Nöth and its restaurant a place known far beyond the region even at that time.

Since 1998, the hotel and the restaurant have been run in the third generation by our son, Harald Spath, and his wife Elisabeth.

Hotel Gasthof Nöth
offers personalized service,
excellent cooking,
and all the comfort of a country hotel.
A reliable address.

Morlesau is the starting point for walking tours, boating, and cycling.
On the parking lot of the Hotel Gasthof Nöth there is a board showing the Sodenberg area. The landing place for boats is near the recreation ground of the hotel. This is where you can also rent a boat. The bicycle trail along the Saale passes through Morlesau. Morlesau is a stop on the Erfurter and Süd-Thüringen (EIB) railway line.

Welcome to
Harald and Elisabeth Spath,
Hotel Gasthof Nöth,
Morlesauer Strasse 3 and 6,
D-97762 Hammelburg/Morlesau,

phone + 49(0)9357-479 or 534,
fax +49(0)9357-1357.

Spath@hotel-noeth.de

www.hotel-noeth.de