Hiking Highlight
Recommended by 281 out of 299 hikers
Location: Ruhr Region, Münster District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
In the immediate vicinity is Via Matris. An approximately 70m long archway that represents the seven pains of Mary.-near information sieben-schmerzen-kapelle.de/dieviamatris.php
October 3, 2018
seven-pain-kapelle.de
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieben-Schmerzen-Kapelle_(Gelsenkirchen)
<< The Seven Sorrows Chapel >>
"...was donated in 1723 by the mistress of Westerholt, Countess Henrika von Aschenbrock zu Schonebeck. Just as Maria felt pain under the cross at the sight of her martyred son, as if seven swords pierced her heart (hence the name), she also felt pain over the count's death in 1707.
She committed the people of Westerholt to the "Hail Sunday Procession" on the second Sunday after Corpus Christi. To this day, these have also been complied with. Another one was added later: "in de Pingshei goahn". It was gratitude and relief at the departure of the French that prompted them to do so, since Prince Soobise's army had camped in Buer for two years during the Seven Years' War in 1758, from where they would go into battle against Frederick the Great.
The path through the building to the chapel is called Passionsweg Mariä. The custom has become established of holding a May prayer together for residents of Westerholt and Bueran once a year. The second motive for the construction of the small church is disputed between Westerholter and Buerschen local researchers. The people of Westerholt believe that the quarrel between the servants of the houses Westerholt and Berge over Weiderrechte in 1564, in which there were fatalities, played the main role.
The people of Bueran think it was the bad conscience of the people of Westerholt about the execution and burning of the young maid Anna Spiekermann in 1706 as a witch.
The chapel then survived for more than two hundred years until a hurricane in 1940 caused beech trees to fall, damaging the roof. In 1948 Westerholter Kolping sons began repairing it. However, the steps remained original from 1723. ..."
February 24, 2022
Sign up for a free komoot account to get 8 more insider tips and takes.