Elisabeth path
 
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Starting point and destination of the Elisabethenpfade |
The three Elisabeth paths are marked hiking / pilgrimage routes that lead to the grave of St. Elisabeth in the Elisabeth Church in Marburg in Hesse . Starting points are Frankfurt am Main (Hesse), Eisenach ( Thuringia ) and Cologne ( North Rhine-Westphalia ).
history
Already in the Middle Ages found pilgrimages to the tombs of saints instead of to a great extent. In the 13th century there was a strong pilgrimage to the grave of St. Elisabeth of Thuringia in Marburg . Historical traces of these pilgrimage paths are secured by research on old streets.
These Christian pilgrimage traditions were later revived. In 1995 the Upper Hessian Mountain Association (OHGV) created a hiking trail called the Elisabethpfad between the Elisabeth Church in Marburg and the Altenberg monastery near Wetzlar . He leaned against the path that Elisabeth herself walked several times because she had entrusted her youngest daughter Gertrud to this monastery as a small child. The Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN) extended this hiking trail from Frankfurt in 2000 , as a spiritual contribution to the promotion of modern ecumenical pilgrimage, and marked it with a new red hiking sign. In 2002 the Elisabethpfadverein eV was formed in Marburg as a sponsor . He still takes care of this 145 km long path and published an illustrated pilgrim guide.
Together with an initiative by St. James pilgrims , a second Elisabethpfad was created in 2007, from the Wartburg in Eisenach to the Elisabethkirche in Marburg. It largely follows the Altstrasse of the Long Hesse from Eisenach to Marburg.
As the third Elisabethpfad, the way of the St. James pilgrims from Marburg to Cologne that was created at the same time was signposted in a west-east direction with the red Elisabethpfad logo. This path follows the historic Brüderstraße to Siegen . There are also detailed and helpful pilgrim guides with maps, information on places, works of art and accommodation options for these two routes.
Marking status and infrastructure
The 1st Elisabethpfad is marked with the red Elisabethpfad eV sign from Frankfurt / Main ( Teutonic Order Church ) to the Altenberg monastery near Solms - Oberbiel . From Altenberg to the Elisabethkirche in Marburg, the OHGV signpost (white E on a black sign) is primarily used for orientation. Elisabethpfad 2 and 3 are continuously marked with the red sign from Eisenach to Cologne and partly at the same time as the Way of St. James with the symbol of the yellow shell on a blue background. This Jakobspilger path forms a direct connection to the Via Regia from Görlitz to Eisenach, which is also marked as the Jakobsweg. In addition, there are yellow arrows (at least between Siegen and Marburg) that help with orientation.
There are currently special pilgrim hostels in Marburg and Dautphetal-Holzhausen , but also parish or community centers accept pilgrims for one night or make their churches and community centers available to groups of pilgrims.
literature
- Elisabethverein eV: Pilgrim Guide Elisabethpfad 2 - Jakobusweg from Eisenach and the Wartburg to the Elisabethkirche in Marburg, Marburg 2007, brochure, 100 pages, ISBN 978-3-88654-912-2
- Annette Heusch-Altenstein, Christoph Kühn: Paths of the Jakob pilgrims in Rhineland and Westphalia . In 7 stages from Marburg via Siegen to Cologne. Approx. 350 colored illustrations and approx. 20 topographical files, JP Verlag Bachem, May 2007 - paperback - 237 pages, ISBN 978-3-7616-2065-6
Web links
- B. Dietrich, P. Clotz: Elisabethpfad eV Elisabethpfadverein eV, accessed on November 28, 2008 .
- Hiking atlas: GPS data and directions for the Frankfurt Elisabeth Path , the Thuringian Elisabeth Path and the Cologne Elisabeth Path