Mudau lies in the southeastern
Odenwald mountains between the
Neckar and
Main rivers, 75 km southeast of
Frankfurt am Main and 40 km northeast of
Heidelberg. The area is heavily forested, resting on coloured
sandstone plateaus at 285 to 576 m elevation, sloping downward to the
Bauland region. Many
streams originate in the area around Mudau, owing to its location on the Neckar-Main
watershed; some have cut canyons as much as 200 m deep into the sandstone. Streams considered significant are the Gabelbach, Mudbach, and Steinbächlein which flow into the Main, and the Reisenbach, Trienzbach, and Elz which flow into the Neckar.
2nd/3rd century: During the period of
Roman control (approximately 98–260 AD) the area that is now Mudau lay within the
province of
Germania Superior. Remnants of the
Neckar-Odenwald Limes are visible today near Schlossau and Scheidental.
11th/12th century: In the high Middle Ages the
Benedictine monastery of
Amorbach Abbey started new settlements in the forest area south of Amorbach. The municipalities have their origin here.
12th/13th century: Mudau's lands were placed under the supervision of the noblemen of Duern and were assigned to the nearby
Castle Wildenberg (also known as Castle Wildenburg) in
Odenwald.
1271: By purchase in the year 1271 the rule rights came to the
Archbishop of Mainz. Mudau was the principal seat of the 'Mudauer Zent'.
1426: Mudau was separated from the old parish of Hollerbach and became the church centre, with 13 chapelries.
1525: During the
German Peasants' War the nearby Amorbach Abbey was plundered and Castle Wildenberg destroyed.
Götz von Berlichingen was the captain of the soldiers called 'Heller Haufen'.
17th century: During the 17th century Mudau became an important
market town with several annual and
cattle markets.
1618 - 1648: During the
Thirty Years' War troops of allies and enemies both marched through the town and took quarter here.
1848: During the
German Revolutions of 1848 (also known as the March Revolution), the principality's property at Marienhoehe bei
Buchen and the revenue office in Ernsttal were burned. The city halls were stormed.
1849: Two-thirds of the town was destroyed by a major
fire.
1974: Closure of the narrow-gauge railway from
Mosbach to Mudau
1982: The transmission towers of the longwave transmitting station were extended to 363 m, thus becoming the tallest built structures in Western Europe.
The wavy band in the
coat of arms represents the Mudbach, while the wheels refer to the arms of
Mainz.
Points of interest
trail along the Neckar-Odenwald Limes in Schlossau with numerous remnants. The Neckar-Odenwald Limes led from
Bad Wimpfen at the Neckar to the north across Neckarburken, Oberscheidental, Schlossau after Woerth at the Main river.