An existing and modern Remigius Church is what is left over, here in southwestern Germany, from a once impressive cloister complex of Benedictine monks, the Abbey of St. Remigius, Remigiusberg. Its foundation can be attributed to the donation in the 6th century of a parcel of land of about 220 square kilometers, later called Remigiusland, to the Bishopric of Reims by Frankish King Childebert II. Administrative problems the French Archbishop had because of his distance from this property finally led an 11th century prelate to turn it over to more local church authorities. A document of the Archbishop of Mainz, from 1127, is the oldest notation of the Abbey‚s existence, though its opening has been considered probable as early as 1019. Its era lasted until 1550, when the ruling Counts Palatine of Veldenz had converted to Lutheranism and discontinued monastic activity. The Counts, living at neighboring Michelsburg, took good advantage of the property by using it as the church of their court and creating crypts there for the interment of deceased members of the dynasty. After it died out in 1694, it only took 30 years for the old religion to return and another 20 for its spiritual activities to flourish again, though underfinanced for a very long time, which led to damage to the buildings. The French Revolution at the end of the 18th century had a devastating effect, especially on the church which the locals simply called the ŒCourt Chapel‚, notwithstanding its royal and historical importance. It wasn‚t until King Lewis I of Bavaria allotted money that the church, in what was considered a remote area of his country, was able to resume regular services in 1 835. An extensive restoration project in 1883-90 created a church edifice for all intents and purposes new, which was unchanged until 1966, when the building was given its current appearance, adhering as far as financially possible to the original Abbey Church. Authorities have summed the matter up: "In the northwestern Palatinate, between the towns of Zweibrücken and Kaiserslautern, the most important Roman church building by far is representative of a rare type of flat-roofed basilica." The old vicarage has also been restored and is a popular inn.