Jakobsweg

The 1st stage of the Hegau Way of St. James: From Wald Monastery to Stockach is 23.6 km long and leads from Wald via Sentenhart, Mindersdorf and Ursaul to Stockach. The entire Hegau Way of St. James leads from Wald Monastery via Stockach and Markelfingen to Constance. It is 70.5 km long in total and divided into 3 stages.

Ascent

173 m

Descent

335 m

Experience the pilgrimage on shady forest paths and steep climbs to the heights of the Swabian Forest! Starting point: Murrhardt, DB train station The second stage of the pilgrimage from Murrhardt to Winnenden begins on shady forest paths, initially with a steep climb from the Murr Valley back to the heights of the Swabian Forest. The hiking lodge in the Sulzbach district of Eschelhof, located in a forest clearing, is a great place to take your first break, complete with barbecue and playground. From here, the Way of St. James continues to Oppenweiler, past the octagonal moated castle of von Sturmfeder (now the town hall), through the adjoining park to St. James' Church, a pilgrimage station. Via Aichelbach, the route leads through the Backnanger Plattenwald forest via Steinbach and Unterweissach to Allmersbach im Tal. From here, the Way of St. James leads out of the "Backnanger Bucht" bay and steeply uphill again, back to the heights of the Swabian Forest and the Buocher Höhe. From Bürg in particular, there is an excellent view of the Stuttgart basin and beyond. Here begins the descent through the vineyards down to Winnenden with its pilgrim landmark, the famous St. James altar in the castle church of Winnental Castle. The altar has been a European cultural heritage site since 1981 and reminds us that Winnenden was already an important stop on the Way of St. James in the Middle Ages.

Ascent

522 m

Descent

520 m

Immerse yourself in the world of pilgrimage trails in the Swabian Forest! The section of the Way of St. James starts in Schwäbisch Hall, which was a salt-boiling town until the 18th century. Today, the town hall stands on the site of the former St. James' Church. From Haller Marktplatz, the pilgrimage route leads to St. Mary's Church in Rieden, a former pilgrimage church with Gothic altars worth seeing and an extraordinary depiction of St. Christopher. Via Obermühle and the heights of Wolfenbrück, pilgrims hike through the Swabian Forest to the first stage destination of Murrhardt, the center of the Swabian-Franconian Forest Nature Park. The town church with its famous Walterich Chapel, the Walterich Church as a former pilgrimage church, and the buildings of the former monastery are well worth a visit. If you wish, you can also take a day's break from the pilgrimage in Murrhardt and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Limes and the local art and nature exhibitions. Nature lovers will enjoy a trip to the Hörschbach Valley with its impressive waterfalls.

Ascent

515 m

Descent

524 m

This stage leads from Remigiusberg in Haschbach through Kusel up to Lichtenberg Castle and along the Fritz-Wunderlich Trail to the valley bridge in Freisen-Oberkirchen. The focal point of the Glantals landscape is Remigiusberg, located between Altenglan and Theisbergstegen, featuring castle ruins and a church. Separated by a mountain gorge, the ruins of Michelsburg Castle rise on Remigiusberg to the east, directly across from the church. The Remigius Church was once the religious center of the Benedictine provostry of St. Remigi Remigiusberg—first mentioned in a document in 1127—a subsidiary monastery of the Abbey of St. Remy near Reims. “A little town lies in the Palatinate, in such a beautiful valley...” This is how Fritz Wunderlich, the famous son of the city of Kusel, sings of his Kusel. A tour through Fritz Wunderlich’s hometown of Kusel takes us to milestones in his life and work, to places that honor his memory. He is commemorated in the memorial rooms of the City and Local History Museum in Kusel. Other sights in Kusel: City Hall with its carillon, the architecturally interesting market square with the Evangelical City Church and the Hutmacher Fountain, the Catholic Church in the Neo-Gothic style (built between 1886 and 1889), and the historic city center. Every visitor is captivated by the beauty of Lichtenberg Castle in the heart of the Palatinate Highlands. It is one of the largest castle ruins in Germany, measuring 425 meters in length; it was never destroyed by an enemy but was ravaged by fire about 200 years ago. The origins of the castle, built by the Counts of Veldenz and the Dukes of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, date back to the year 1200. Within the castle grounds are a modern youth hostel, a restaurant, and three museums. At the train station in Schwarzerden, you’ll find the Ostertalbahn, an impressive tourist attraction. The railway is operated on the route between Schwarzerden and Ottweiler by the Arbeitskreis Ostertalbahn e.V. during the summer months, mostly on weekends. The Mithras monument at the Weiheranlage in Schwarzerden, with its carved relief—which once formed the back wall of a temple—is one of the oldest places of worship in our region. It is a monument commemorating the Romans’ former presence at this site, which likely dates back to the 3rd century A.D. The Protestant church in Schwarzerden was completed in 1955. At that time, the church had only a small bell above the entrance. In 2004, a separate bell tower with two bells—which were cast in Passau—was added. The Weiselberg Nature Reserve is rich in natural beauty and impressive treasures. The Weiselberg is famous for the colorful mineral formations found in the agates there. Some of the finds are on display at the Mineralogical Museum in Oberkirchen and the Mineral Museum in Freisen. The most impressive structure in the municipality of Freisen is the valley bridge in Oberkirchen. Its 12 arches, supported by 11 piers, stretch 275 meters and span the Oster Valley at a height of 30 meters, right at the entrance to Oberkirchen. The valley bridge is one of the largest stone bridges in southwestern Germany. It is believed that the Catholic Church of St. Katharina in Oberkirchen dates back to the 14th or 15th century. The church stands in all its splendor as the Christian and cultural center of Oberkirchen.

Ascent

386 m

Descent

345 m

This stage leads from the valley bridge in Freisen-Oberkirchen via St. Wendel-Hoof, past Wendelinushof, the mission house and the Wendelinus Chapel, to the Wendelinus Basilica in St. Wendel. The stage begins at the most impressive structure in the municipality of Freisen, the valley bridge in Oberkirchen. Its 12 arches on 11 piers extend over 275 m and span the Oster valley at a height of 30 m, right at the entrance to Oberkirchen. The valley bridge is one of the largest stone bridges in southwest Germany. It is believed that the Catholic Church of St. Katharina in Oberkirchen dates from the 14th or 15th century. The church presents itself in all its splendor as the Christian and cultural center of Oberkirchen. The Weiselberg nature reserve is rich in natural beauty and impressive treasures. Weiselberg is famous for the colorful mineral formations of the agates found there. Some of these finds are on display in the Mineralogical Museum in Oberkirchen and in the Mineral Museum in Freisen. Passing Wendelinushof with animal husbandry, workshops for people with disabilities, a nursery, a restaurant, and a market for regional products. Along the cemetery of the fathers and the Lourdes Grotto, the route continues past the mission house. Father Arnold Janssen founded the Society of the Divine Word missionaries in St. Wendel in 1898. The complex includes the ethnological museum and the mission bookstore, Arnold Janssen Gymnasium, and the Mission House Church. St. Wendel was first mentioned in 496 AD as Basonvillaris. In the 6th century, Saint Wendelin lived here; he belonged to an Irish-Scottish monastic movement. According to legend, as a king's son he was on his way to Rome to receive the royal crown, but settled in St. Wendel as a hermit. Exactly where he thrust his staff into the ground during a great drought now stands the Wendelinus Chapel, dedicated to him, with a fountain complex. We pass this on the way down into the town. The name "Sankt Wendalino" was first mentioned in the 14th century in a document by Baldwin of Luxembourg, the Archbishop of Trier, in the context of the early medieval veneration of Wendelin. He wanted to develop the town into an economic and cultural center, and so St. Wendel was granted market and town rights in 1332. Construction soon began on the Wendelinus Basilica, which was not completed until 1460 in the late Gothic style. With its tall spire of the west tower, it is a landmark visible from afar and is considered one of the most beautiful hall churches in Germany. The remains of Saint Wendelin are still located today in the high tomb at the altar. On the side of the tomb, an image of James with the shell is shown. As an important pilgrimage church, it attracts numerous pilgrims, especially for the annual Pentecost pilgrimages and during Wendelinus Week.

Ascent

302 m

Descent

396 m

This stage begins in Hoppstädten-Weiersbach at the Chapel of St. Catherine of Alexandria and leads via Nohfelden and Oberthal to Tholey and the Benedictine Abbey of St. Mauritius. The start of the link-up is at the chapel in Hoppstädten on Hauptstraße. Follow the path behind the chapel to Schulstraße, then Rothenweg, and at the end take the narrow path (avoiding the busy Saarstraße L 169 up to that point) to Neubrücke station; through the underpass you reach Harald Fissler Str.; turn right to the biomass power plant “Oie”. Then cross the Nahe to the left and continue through a tunnel under the A62, then turn right; from here the Way of St. James runs largely along the edge of the forest and within sight of the Nahe and the railway line, parallel to the Nahe Trail (marked with a blue N on a white background) as far as Nohfelden. At the entrance to Nohfelden, cross the Freisbach, whose confluence with the Nahe can be seen on the right, then continue along Naheuferstraße and Buchwaldstraße out of the village with a gentle climb to the forest parking area at Hochwaldhalle; take the path to the right toward Buchwaldhalle, past Heidenkopf on the right toward Walhausen; there, go through the street “Zum Heidenkopf” to Säbelstraße and Löschbachstraße. At the allotment gardens, cross the railway line on the right, then head uphill past the solar power plant. At the entrance to Steinberg-Deckenhardt you will reach the fire station and the cemetery. Passing the bus stop by the fire station/cemetery, we cross the L319 and walk uphill to the former church (now the music club’s event hall) into Steinmarstraße, Deckenhardter Straße, and at the edge of the village through the forest toward Waldritter-Bildungszentrum-Saar; at the industrial sites (feldspar extraction) turn right, where the route touches the European Sculpture Road of Peace. The Güdesweiler forest cemetery follows, and next to it the Valentinskapelle; continue through the forest, past the Wildfrau Cave - accessible by a staircase descending beside the path. Note: Between Steinberg-Deckenhardt and Oberthal, muddy paths should be expected due to forestry work and feldspar extraction. From the entrance to Oberthal, descend via Neunkirchener Straße and Groniger Straße to the route of the former St. Wendel–Tholey railway line, which has been developed as the “Wendelinus Cycle Path” for walkers, skaters and cyclists. Follow this westward toward Tholey. The route eventually ends in front of a bricked-up tunnel; here the Way of St. James climbs steeply uphill and joins a farm track. On the left, a pylon can be seen pointing to the excavations of a Roman vicus in Wareswald. These are located about 400 m to the left of the road. The Way of St. James, however, follows the road to the right and reaches the center of Tholey via Wareswaldstraße, Bahnhofstraße and Trierer Straße, where the Abbey Church of St. Mauritius and thus the stage destination soon come into view. The abbey church dates back to the 12th century. Its predecessor church was first mentioned in 634 AD. Benedictine monks still live and work in Tholey today. In autumn 2020, the church will reopen after extensive renovation work; particularly worth seeing are the three newly designed main choir windows by Gerhard Richter. A visit to the museum “Theulegium” is also worthwhile.

Ascent

410 m

Descent

357 m

This stage leads from the Basilica of St. Wendelin in St. Wendel through Wendelinus Park, via Winterbach and Alsweiler, to the Abbey Church of St. Mauritius in Tholey. This 15-kilometer stage of the Way of St. James to Tholey begins at the Basilica of St. Wendelin. It runs parallel to the Wendelinus Pilgrimage Trail from St. Wendel to the Abbey Church in Tholey, whose symbol is a stylized black pilgrim’s staff with a cross on a white background. Along the route, signs with reflective texts have been placed to encourage pilgrims to pause and reflect. At the same time, they are meant to offer encouragement and strengthen the spirit. St. Wendel was first mentioned in 496 AD as Basonvillaris. In the 6th century, St. Wendelin lived here; he belonged to an Irish-Scottish monastic movement. According to legend, as a prince, he was on his way to Rome to receive the royal crown but instead settled in St. Wendel as a hermit. Exactly where he thrust his staff into the ground during a great drought stands today the Wendelinus Chapel, dedicated to him, with a fountain. The name “St. Wendalino” was first mentioned in the 14th century in a document by Baldwin of Luxembourg, the Archbishop of Trier, as part of the early medieval veneration of St. Wendelin. He sought to develop the town into an economic and cultural center, and thus St. Wendel was granted market and town rights in 1332. Construction of the St. Wendelin Basilica began soon after, but it was not completed until 1460 in the late Gothic style. With the tall spire of its west tower, it is a landmark visible from afar and is considered one of the most beautiful hall churches in Germany. The remains of Saint Wendelin are still housed today in the raised tomb at the altar. An image of St. James holding a scallop shell is displayed on the side of the tomb. As an important pilgrimage church, the Basilica of St. Wendelin attracts numerous pilgrims, especially during the annual pilgrimage events at Pentecost and during St. Wendelin Week. The medieval atmosphere around the Fruchtmarkt conveys a sense of St. Wendel’s former importance as a pilgrimage center. Pilgrims leave the city center via Luisenstraße toward Alsfassen and soon reach Wendelinus Park with its golf course. Just past Wendelinus Park lies the Wallesweilerhof with the St. Anne Chapel, a listed historic monument. The chapel marks the first stop on the pilgrimage. Magnificent views of the rolling landscape of the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park and a wonderful vista of the 569-meter-high Schaumberg accompany pilgrims as they continue their hike toward Winterbach and Alsweiler. The Hiwwelhaus in Alsweiler is the oldest farmhouse in southwestern Germany to have retained its original character and is located just 300 m from the trail. The route then continues through the Alsbach Valley, culminating in a beautiful view of Tholey and its venerable abbey church. Another detour is well worth taking to the Roman archaeological site at Wareswald near Tholey. An important Gallo-Roman settlement once stood there at the intersection of two Roman roads. Today, researchers in Wareswald are investigating the traces of our ancestors and their way of life. Initial finds—such as numerous remains of bathhouses, underfloor heating systems, and elaborate wall paintings—suggest a high standard of living among the population at that time. The final stop on this leg is the Abbey Church of St. Mauritius in Tholey, which is just a few meters away. The abbey church dates back to the 12th century. Its predecessor church was first mentioned in 634 A.D. Benedictine monks still live and work in Tholey today. In the fall of 2020, the church reopened following extensive renovation work; the three newly designed main choir windows by Gerhard Richter are particularly worth seeing. A visit to the “Theulegium” museum is also well worth your time.

Ascent

247 m

Descent

141 m

This stage leads from the Abbey Church of St. Mauritius in Tholey, past the Marian shrine in the Härtelwald, to the mountain chapel in Illingen. The starting point of this stage is the Abbey Church of St. Mauritius in Tholey. The abbey church dates back to the 12th century. Its predecessor church was first mentioned in 634 A.D. Benedictine monks still live and work in Tholey today. The Neo-Gothic parish church “Assumption of Mary” in Marpingen was built in 1902–03 on the site of a medieval predecessor building by the St. Johann architect Wilhelm Hector. The self-confidence and religious vitality of the congregation, which are expressed in this sacred building, are also evident in the fact that, at the end of the 19th century, all 2,000 Catholics in the parish joined the church building association that supported the construction of the church. Of art-historical note in the church—which was originally incorporated into Tholey Abbey—is a late-medieval altarpiece that was set into the south wall beneath a church window during the Neo-Gothic renovation. It is one of the oldest examples of Marian devotion in Marpingen. The history of the Marian fountain (popularly known as “Maieborn”), located in the immediate vicinity of the parish church, also stretches far back into the past; it was already a popular Marian pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages. On the outskirts of Marpingen lies the Marian shrine “Härtelwald.” Here, hikers first pass the outdoor shrine featuring a stylized rosary and a statue of the Virgin Mary, and immediately afterward reach the Marian chapel. The chapel, built between 1932 and 1935, and the Marian grotto—which was originally located right next to it—were constructed on the site where the Virgin Mary is said to have first appeared to three eight-year-old girls from Marpingen in 1876. The events in the Härtelwald quickly gained international attention, and Marpingen—despite the “Kulturkampf” that the Prussian state was waging against the Catholic Church at the time—was soon regarded as the “German Lourdes.” When, in 1999, three more “visionaries”—this time adult women from three different villages in the Saarland—experienced a total of 13 announced apparitions in the Härtelwald, many thousands of pilgrims from all over the world once again flocked to Marpingen. In December 2005, the Härtelwald—including the chapel and the Marian spring—was officially recognized as a place of prayer by the Diocese of Trier. The Marian Chapel and its surroundings were extensively renovated and redesigned by the municipality of Marpingen between 2006 and 2008. From the chapel, the Way of St. James leads up the Way of the Cross—with its 14 stations—to the Marian Spring, 300 meters away. The spring and its entire surroundings were also redesigned by the municipality at great expense. As part of the work carried out from 2004 to 2006, a covered place of worship was also built, which can accommodate around 120 pilgrims. Shortly thereafter, hikers pass the “Miners’ Cross,” which, together with the replica of a mine entrance erected right next to it just a few years ago, serves as a landmark for what was once—even for Marpingen —economically significant and culturally and historically remarkable line of work. Until well into the 20th century, the village’s miners would gather here to set out together on foot at the start of the week for the mining sites to the south. From here, the Way of St. James runs parallel to the country road uphill to the old Roman road between Mainz and Metz, which follows the ridge between Marpingen and Urexweiler. (If you cross the L 318 here, you’ll come to an old boundary stone that once marked the border between Nassau-Saarbrücken and Lorraine. This border also served as the denominational boundary between Protestants and Catholics. Not far from the boundary stone are the remains of Celtic burial mounds, indicated by an information sign.) The actual route doesn’t join the L 318 until just before the entrance to Urexweiler, turning left onto it, then branching off to the right onto a paved forest path after another 100 meters. The Way of St. James now leads for nearly 2 km through a beautiful beech forest before passing several wooden animal sculptures and joining a forest road from Berschweiler to Urexweiler. At first, the route follows a paved high-altitude trail for about 4 km across open fields and through wooded sections. Shortly before Hüttigweiler, hikers leave the Naheweg and turn right onto a wide forest path, which they follow for about 1 km until they reach an intersection. There, the Way of St. James meets the Schaumbergweg and the Bergmannsweg. Those wishing to walk from here to the Statio Dominus Mundi near Wustweiler should turn right and will reach the church in about 20 minutes. The Statio Dominus Mundi is a contemporary sacred building of remarkable architectural significance. It houses a unique collection of masterpieces of medieval art, including a painting by Lukas Cranach the Elder. Those continuing along the Way of St. James should turn left and proceed to Hüttigweiler. On the outskirts of Illingen, the route meets the Naheweg. The path descends into the Ill Valley toward the Baroque St. Stephen’s Church. Of the original medieval structure, only the 13th-century choir tower has survived. Its basement features a late-Gothic ribbed vault and pointed-arch windows. The nave dates from the 18th century and was built according to a design by Peter Reheis of Blieskastel. The church houses the epitaph of Heinrich von Kerpen, who died in 1577. Only a few remnants of the church’s medieval murals have survived. On the exterior of the tower, the cornerstone of a large Roman funerary monument is embedded in the wall. Not far from St. Stephen’s Church lie the ruins of Kerpen Castle. It is the remnant of a former moated castle that had been owned by the Lords of Kerpen since the 14th century. The core complex, dating from the 14th century, was completely redesigned in the 16th century and expanded to include an outer bailey. The main castle encloses a rectangular courtyard, at the southwest corner of which the remains of a square tower are preserved. At the southeast corner stands a round tower that was rebuilt after World War II. This tower houses the former castle chapel with its star-vaulted ceiling. The route continues uphill to the stage’s destination, the Mountain Chapel (approx. 1.5 km). On the final stretch, a footpath running parallel to the road, the stations of the “Seven Sorrows of Mary” (also known as the “Stations of the Cross”) accompany pilgrims to the Mountain Chapel. Several pilgrimage chapels have stood at this site above the village of Illingen. The oldest likely dated from the 16th century; this is attested to by an epitaph from the year 1555, which can be found in the chapel. The current mountain chapel, built in the Neo-Gothic style, is a place of pilgrimage for Sinti and Roma known far beyond the state’s borders. Since 1955, the pilgrimage—then known as the “Gypsy Pilgrimage”—has taken place every year on the first weekend in October.

Ascent

311 m

Descent

363 m

Ascent

194 m

Descent

237 m

Ascent

210 m

Descent

222 m

Ascent

424 m

Descent

497 m