Wallfahrtstätte Eremitage

Wallfahrtstätte Eremitage is a monastery complex set within forest grounds comprising a chapel with Renaissance and Gothic architectural features, a hermitage lodge, a shrine house, and an outdoor prayer space beneath the trees. The compound contains religious artworks and continues to function as an active place of worship and pilgrimage.

The complex originated in 1684 when a Jesuit brother established it on the site of a Marian chapel destroyed during the Thirty Years War. From 1953 to 1966, the establishment housed a community of religious women, representing one of few monastic refoundations in the post-Reformation era.

The site draws pilgrims seeking quiet prayer and contemplation within the forest, reflecting its role as a spiritual refuge for local devotion. The name refers to hermit traditions, and this heritage of solitary religious practice continues to shape how visitors approach the space.

The site sits along a major federal road and can be reached fairly easily by car. Religious services and pilgrimage gatherings happen regularly, so checking ahead about scheduled activities will help visitors plan their visit.

Inside the chapel stands a baroque altar from 1736 and a Pietà sculpture completed in 1961 by Düsseldorf artist Else Hoffmann. These artworks reveal how the sanctuary preserved and evolved religious artistic traditions across centuries.

Location: Wilnsdorf

GPS coordinates: 50.85690,8.06583

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:23