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Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia

Cologne District

Kreis Düren
Heimbach

View of Mariawald Abbey

Highlight • Viewpoint

View of Mariawald Abbey

Recommended by 603 hikers out of 615

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Naturpark Hohes Venn-Eifel

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    Best Hikes to View of Mariawald Abbey

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    1. Mariawald Abbey – View of Mariawald Abbey loop from Heimbach (Eifel)

    16.1km

    04:40

    400m

    400m

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Intermediate

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Tips

    June 22, 2023

    The foundation of the monastery goes back to the pilgrimage to "Our Lady in the Forest". Cistercian monks built a monastery here in 1480 instead of the chapel, but its days were numbered when the revolutionary army occupied the left bank of the Rhine in 1794. Restoration of the lands and renovation work only began in 1860 with the purchase by the Trappist abbot Ephrem van der Meulen. The severe damage from World War II was repaired between 1944 and 1961 and the monastery was resumed. Today the monks live a strictly regulated daily routine. The principle of St. Following Benedict, they live from the work of their hands and share their bread with the guests and the poor. Guests are invited to visit the monastery's inn and taste the popular pea soup. The monastery has become more important for visitors because it is located in the middle of the Eifel National Park.

    Translated by Google •

      November 25, 2023

      The former Cistercian monastery “Mariawald Abbey”, founded in 1480 under the name “Nemus Mariae”, is located high above Heimbach in the northern part of the Kermeter, a wooded ridge in the Rureifel.
      Just above the monastery, on the edge of the forest, there is a military cemetery from the early 1950s. 414 soldiers of German, Russian and Polish nationality are buried there, most of whom died in the field hospital that was set up in the monastery from autumn 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge.
      The monastery district of Mariawald Abbey has been preserved to this day. The farmyard, which adjoins to the east, still has the farm gate from 1538; the farm itself has been renovated. The monastery was closed in 2018.


      The location of the monastery
      The location of the monastery is explained by a legend: The thatched roofer Heinrich Fluitter from Heimbach is said to have purchased a Pietà (representation of the Virgin Mary with the body of Jesus) in Cologne in 1471 and placed it at a crossroads on the kermeter above the town. He built a house not far away and lived there as a hermit. The statue quickly became a destination for pilgrims who came to pray to “Our Lady of the Forest”. When Flutter died, he is said to have prophesied that a chapel would be built. This was built and donated to the Cistercian Order in 1480 (as documented). The first monks came from Bottenbroich near Cologne and began their work in 1486. A carved winged altar was purchased from Antwerp around 1520 as a very special frame for the statue.
      Source:
      kuladig.de/Objectansicht/KLD-312712

      Translated by Google •

        May 22, 2023

        Great views of the Abbey. On a clear day you can see as far as Cologne Cathedral.

        Translated by Google •

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          Details

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          Elevation 480 m

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          Thursday 23 October

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          Max wind speed: 33.0 km/h

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          Location: Heimbach, Kreis Düren, Cologne District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

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