Weg der Stille - (von Schwalenberg bis Marienmünster) - ökumenischer Pilgerweg von Schwalenberg nach Corvey -

Stop & move on

The 41 km long "Path of Silence" invites you to engage with silence in three stages. To let thoughts come and move on. To pause and move on. The first stage leads from the historic old town of Schwalenberg to Marienmünster Abbey.

The starting point of the ecumenical pilgrimage route is the historic town center of Schwalenberg, over which the castle of the same name towers, visible from afar. But the winding alleyways and the many richly decorated half-timbered houses also characterize the appearance of the small town.

The trail first takes you on a loop along the Schwalenberger Stadtwasser. Not only can you listen to the gentle lapping of the water, but it is also worth taking a closer look: The topography of the castle hill and the slight gradient of the stream create the optical illusion that the water in Schwalenberg is flowing uphill.

Before you continue on your way, you can pay a visit to the Evangelical Reformed Church of Schwalenberg. Inside the church, the Emmaus panel painting in the choir is worth seeing. It shows the resurrected Christ with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and is therefore the perfect introduction to the pilgrimage route - it is not just about the distance covered, but also about an inner journey.

Through the Schwalenberg forest, which has been thinned out in some places by the bark beetle and opens up completely new views, the path leads you down to the Steinbach stream, which is crossed over a few stepping stones. At the Westerberg (just before Kollerbeck), you will have a wonderful panoramic view of the wide landscape. The ideal opportunity to take a short break, enjoy the view and listen to the silence. Continue along the Burgensteig trail, past the striking Oldenburg, to the former Benedictine Abbey of Marienmünster.

The baroque monastery complex has made a name for itself as a "monastery of sounds": not only are top-class classical music recordings produced here, but numerous concerts and musical events are also held. Perhaps you are lucky enough to be able to listen to the sounds of the historic Johann Patroclus Möller organ in the abbey church (now a Catholic parish church) during your visit. This holds the sound memory of Westphalia and is known far beyond the region.