recommended route
Stage 04 Hildegard of Bingen Pilgrimage Trail: Monzingen - Disibodenberg
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Mittlere Nahe bei MonzingenPhoto: Naheland-Touristik GmbH / P. Bender
Monzingen – Nussbaum – Bad Sobernheim – Staudernheim - Disibodenberg
This section leads into the centre of the pilgrimage trail, the Disibodenberg monastery ruin.
The Disibodenberg, where Hildegard of Bingen spent almost half of her life, is actually in the middle of the trail. Several information boards along the path are dedicated to Hildegard's medicine, which is mainly due to the naturopath Emanuel Felke (1856 - 1926).
The scenic stage from Monzingen via Bad Sobernheim to Staudernheim is lined with vineyards and offers beautiful views of the Nahe Valley. Monzingen is over 1200 years old and one of the oldest wine villages on the middle Nahe. The old village centre with its beautiful half-timbered houses, narrow alleys and nooks has retained its charm to this day. A small herb garden has been lovingly set up at the Protestant church, where some “Hildegard herbs” are thriving.
The naturopath Emanuel Felke made Bad Sobernheim famous and brought it the status of a recognised spa. The late Gothic chapel of St. Mary has a direct connection to the Disibodenberg monastery. It once belonged to the Bad Sobernheim farm of the Disibodenberg Monastery and has now been converted into a brewery.
The Priorhof in Bad Sobernheim now houses a local history museum. A herb garden with important Hildegard herbs has also been planted here.
The village of Staudernheim was first mentioned in 1107 and its history was closely linked to that of the monastery until its dissolution.
Hildegard of Bingen Pilgrimage Trail
Hildegard of Bingen, abbess, poet, theologian, naturalist and healer lived in what is now the Nahe holiday region throughout her life.
The 137-kilometre Hildegard of Bingen Pilgrimage Trail passes various stations in the life of this probably most famous personality of the Middle Ages. The trail starts in Idar-Oberstein and continues via Niederhosenbach, the family seat and possible birthplace of Hildegard of Bingen, to Bad Sobernheim. Not far from here is the Disibodenberg monastery ruins, where Hildegard spent almost 40 significant years of her life. The Pilgrimage Trail ultimately ends in Bingen am Rhein. The Rupertsberg vaulted cellar is still located at Hildegard of Bingen’s last place of work: in 1150, the saint founded the Rupertsberg monastery, which was the place of her work for 29 years. The last stops on this ecumenical pilgrimage trail are the Hildegard shrine in the pilgrimage church of St. Hildegard Rüdesheim-Ebingen and the Abbey of St. Hildegard Ebingen.
59 information and meditation boards along the entire route provide information about Hildegard as a person, her work and life in the Middle Ages. Hikers approach the spiritual side of Hildegard of Bingen through meditation boards that follow Hildegard of Bingen’s visionary images from her main work of “Scivias - Know the Ways” and give stimulus for meditation. The boards are written in both German and English.
The pilgrim’s passport can be stamped at Naheland-Touristik GmbH, tourist information offices, various way stations and finally at St. Hildegard’s Abbey Eibingen.
Brief résumé of St. Hildegard of Bingen
1098: Birth Hildegard of Bingen, presumably in Niederhosenbach near Herrstein
1112: enters the Disibodenberg monastery near Bad Sobernheim, together with Jutta of Sponheim
1136: Hildegard of Bingen becomes, after the death of Jutta of Sponheim, the second Magistra in the Disibodenberg monastery
around 1150: founds her own female monastery in Bingen am Rhein
17 September 1179: Hildegard of Bingen dies in Bingen am Rhein
10 May 2012: Canonisation of Hildegard of Bingen by Pope Benedict XVI
7 October 2012: Elevation to Doctor of the Church
Author’s recommendation
The Rhineland-Palatinate Open Air Museum in Nachtigallental and the first and only 3,500-metre-long barefoot path in Bad Sobernheim, located directly on the Hildegard Path, are worth a detour.
Guests experience a reflex zone massage on the barefoot path while walking over different underground materials such as sand, pebbles, bark mulch and clay. Special features: Pedestrian suspension bridge, ford, boat crossing. Dogs are not permitted.
Over the past 30 years, nearly 40 historic houses have been dismantled stone by stone and timber by timber on location and faithfully rebuilt in the 35-hectare grounds of the Rhineland-Palatinate Open-Air Museum. Divided into four groups, they represent the different regions of Rhineland-Palatinate. The village forgery and water mill, merchant’s shop and skittles alley, vineyards and farms and many other buildings invite you to enjoy an entertaining and informative journey into the past.
Track types
Rest stops
DENKMALz - Der BiergartenSafety information
Hiking footwear recommended!
Tips and hints
Naheland-Touristik GmbH
Bahnhofstraße 37, D-55606 Kirn
Telefon: +49 (0) 6752/137610
Fax: +49 (0) 6752/137620
info@naheland.net, www.naheland.net
Local Adress:
Ferienregion Nahe-Glan
Touristinformation Bad Sobernheim
Bahnhofstraße 4, 55566 Bad Sobernheim
Telefon +49 6751 81 1163 – Telefax +49 6751 81 1050
Mail touristinfo@vg-nahe-glan.de www.ferienregion-nahe-glan.de
Stamp points in Monzingen:
- Evangelische Kirche in der Ortsmitte, Kirchstraße
- Bäckerei, Hauptstraße
- Verkehrsverein Monzingen e.V., c/o Gaby Christmann , Hauptstraße
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
The fourth stage leads from the 1200-year-old wine-growing community of Monzingen to the centre of the Hildegard Path, and this in different two ways. On the one hand, the Disibodenberg, where Hildegard of Bingen lived for about forty years from 1112 to 1150, is actually found in the middle of the hiking trail and also forms the centrepiece in the “Land of Hildegard” for many in spiritual terms. On the other hand, Hildegard’s healing medicine is also the focus today in many respects, which is the most important reason many people to occupy themselves with the saint. Healing medicine is also the topic of the text of the day, which is written by Dr. med. Michael Ptok, the chairman of the International Hildegard Society.
We start at the herb garden in Monzingen, where the Hildegard board on the theme of “Plants” (Board 18) can be viewed alongside the culinary herbs growing here. The list of 217 herbs and staple foods and their uses mentioned by Hildegard in the first book of the Physica can also be considered, which is found in the Pilgrim’s Book.
The trail continues through vineyards to nearby Nussbaum, where the Rhine-Nahe Wine Trail ("Rhein-Nahe Weinwanderweg") accompanies it and runs parallel to it. The “Medicinal Herbs" board (Board 19) can be found for the first time on the village square in Nußbaum. It can still be found in several other places in Bad Soberheim (at Hevert-Arzneimittel, in the Rhineland-Palatinate Open Air Museum and at Priorhof). The topic at the end of Nussbaum is Hildegard’s book on “Land Animals” (Board 20).
The trail then continues to Bad Sobernheim, which has become famous as a Felke spa. In Bad Sobernheim, Hildegard’s vision of the “Synagoga” (Board 21) is the subject of a meditation panel near the Disibodenberg Chapel. This late Gothic chapel of St. Mary once belonged to the Bad Sobernheim farm of the Disibodenberg Monastery and has now been converted into a brewery that also invites pilgrims to take a break. The trail then continues along the popular barefoot path, where “Hildegard’s Medicine” (Board 22) is the theme.
After crossing the Nahe (Celtic: wild river), on the way to Staudernheim, it is worth visiting the “Nature Museum”, where the board on “Hildegard’s Natural History” (Board 23) is located.
At the end of the stage, Hildegard’s vision of the “Angels” (Board 24) can be meditated on at the Catholic church and Hildegard’s vision of the “Redeemer” (Board 25) at the Protestant church.
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
Monzingen train station. The community is located on the Mainz - Saarbrücken line and is easily accessible by regional train (vlexx).Alternatively, take the regional express to Bad Sobernheim and bus 273 to Monzingen (Soonwaldstraße stop).
All timetables can be found in the RNN timetable information at www.rnn.info – ticket tips: Single or group day ticket!
By road
A61 in the east, Bad Kreuznach junction, take B41 to Monzingen.A62 in the west, Birkenfeld junction, take B41 to Monzingen.
Parking
Festhalle Monzingen, Rosengartenstraße 11, 55569 MonzingenCoordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
Hiking footwear recommended!
Our tips for carefree hiking fun:
Hiking is the perfect sport. With the right clothes and shoes, it's twice as much fun. Functional clothing, poles and breathable backpacks are good choices when hiking. But good footwear is indispensable. Sturdy jogging or leisure shoes are at best only suitable for short distances on flat paths. For longer walks, we recommend sturdy hiking boots with non-slip soles. Also remember to take sunscreen and a drink. A litre of water is best.
Statistics
- 18 Waypoints
- 18 Waypoints
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