Every journey begins with a first step ...

Stage 1: Waldsassen - Tirschenreuth

Starting point: Waldsassen Cistercian Abbey

Distance: 21,8 km

Walking time: approx. 6,5 hours

Gradients: 290 m

Descent: 271 m

Stage goal: Fischhof Tirschenreuth

Marking: Oberpfalzweg yellow-white-yellow (horizontal)

                        (Attention: In places the pilgrim path deviates from the Oberpfalzweg in order to be able to include points of interest for pilgrims in the route. See description of the route)

Attunement:

Waldsassen with its old, but still very lively Cistercian abbey is not only an ideal starting point or stopover for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is practically on a line between the old Cistercian Abbey Loccum near Bremen and Passau and is well connected via the already opened pilgrimage routes Loccum-Volkenroda and Via Porta - Volkenroda-Waldsassen.

However, pilgrimage is not (only) sporting activity in nature or another kind of tourism, but always a spiritually motivated journey - to a special holy place and to yourself. The motives of pilgrims are as different as people themselves.

In the European Middle Ages, penetrated deeply by the Christian spirit, the focus was on apostles and thanksgiving, or penitential pilgrimages. This still matters, but presupposes an existing mental certainty. Today it is more the search for certainty, the all-encompassing spirit of creation and the personal path that moves people to make pilgrimages. For many people, pilgrimage can also be both a method and a sign of practicing repentance, turning away from harmful, illness-causing behavior and starting again, finding one's own center and vitality.

In contrast to pilgrimage, the short religious interruption of everyday life comparable to a small festival in order to - often in community - to experience the closeness of God in a sacred place, the long way is essential for pilgrims as well as the goal. It just takes time and contemplative calm to switch off everyday life and become open to the experience of the mind again. That is why it is so important to undertake a pilgrimage (unlike pilgrimage) on foot or by bike, because hiking and cycling are meditation in motion.

It often takes a whole time to free yourself from the constraints and routines of everyday life and to open yourself up to the experience of the mind. The real constraints that modern people are subjected to often make it impossible to undertake a long pilgrimage like the Jerusalem Way in one piece. The sections should not be too short. Even the section of the Jerusalemweg from Waldsassen to Passau, which is designed to last about two weeks, is actually too short to really be on the road. This can lead to disappointment and frustration because the desired effect does not appear.

It is therefore advisable not to start the pilgrimage route in Waldsassen immediately after arrival, but to take the time to use the special atmosphere and the religious offerings of the old Cistercian town and the abbey and to attune yourself to the path in this way. A day off is not only important in between, but also in the beginning. He can, for example, take a day pilgrimage via the Rosary Stationsweg to the Church of the Holy Trinity (Kappl) or to the nearby pilgrimage site Maria Loretto, or just to rest in the monastery garden, to take part in church services in the basilica / monastery church, to pray for the sisters or serve to receive the pilgrimage blessing before the actual departure.

Directions:

The day's stage begins in the Basilica Square in the City of Waldsassen the all around from the historical buildings of the Waldsassen Abbey is lined. The mighty in the east St. John's Abbey Basilica, then to the south the Cistercian Abbey of Waldsassen with the famous baroque Abbey library, the monastery church, the St. Josef Guest House and the Great monastery garden with the environmental station and the Art Nouveau garden schoolhouse. Built to the north of the basilica, the former Guesthouse of the monastery with its arcade arches the old abbey church with the Abbot's lock. That closes in the West Town hall the place. A passage next to the southern end of the town hall leads to the "New Gardens", which were restored in 2017. In the north, the space between the former City clerk's house and the former Gatekeeper's house on the left and the former Caste office building the abbey on the right. To the north-east, a footpath connects the Schwanenwiese car park and RV park across the fortifications of the former abbot's palace with Basilikaplatz. In the middle of Basilikaplatz stands the Diepold fountain with the statue of the founder of the monastery, Margrave Diepold III. from Vohburg.

The path goes along the outside of the St. Joseph guest house over Goetheplatz, which is directly to the south. In the square is the Goethe column which the artist Erwin Otte made from glass panels by Waldsassen Lamberts glassworks has manufactured. In 1961/62, the so-called “Eisenfronfeste”, the prison of the Waldsassen district court, was built on the site of the current commercial building on the west side of the square. At the southern end of Goetheplatz, Brauhausstraße branches off to the left, where the former Brewery of the monasterythat converted into a facility for the disabled Abbey mill with the pilgrim rooms of the abbey, and the access to the large monastery garden with the environmental station is located.

However, the Jerusalem Way continues south through Museum Street. This is on the left hand side Stiftland Museum. The Museum Street ends at Karolinenring, which follows the course of the former outer ring wall of the monastery. The lower gate was formerly located at the confluence of Museumsstrasse with Karolinenring. The path then goes left to the east to Badstrasse and then follows this further south.

A little further on the Karolinenring in the direction of the Wondreb river there is one Mount of Olives Chapel with life-size figures carved from linden wood, which was built into the outer curtain wall in 1733. On the Wondreb Bridge there is a sculpture of the bridge saint Nepomuk, which was commissioned by Abbot Alexander Vogel in 1746.

From the former lower gate to the Schupfenteich, the pilgrim path follows the Altstrasse to Altenhammer and the parallel, now silted-up moat of the Mühlbach. This is located between Badstrasse and Wondreb Egrensis outdoor swimming pool. The path crosses Lämmerstrasse and continues straight ahead. After a few meters the end of the village is reached and the view opens to the southeast of the Wondreb river valley. The river section has recently been renatured. However, the extensive meanders of the historic river bed could not be restored. Shortly before crossing the Glasmühlbach, this is on the right bank of the Wondreb Old water Gimpelrang to see. It begins at the confluence of the Glasmühlbach Fauna-Flora-Habitat (FFH area) "Wondreb between Leonberg and Waldsassen" with its diverse and species-rich habitats. 140 m after the bridge over the Glasmühlbach, the pilgrimage route crosses the path to Kondrau. A wooden crucifix in front of a small wood marks the crossing. After another 430 m, a path branches off to the left to Wondreb. There is a small picnic area near a renatured stretch of water with a water wheel on the Mühlbach and a ford over the Wondreb. The pilgrim path continues a little further on the Altstraße to the marked junction of the Oberpfalzweg to the left on the Teichdamm des Shed ponds. Right at the beginning of the Schupfenteich there is a hidden wooden hut as a nature observation post after a short, narrow footpath. At the eastern end of the dam, the path first crosses the Mühlgraben and then over a weir and another narrow bridge over the Wondreb. It then bends south and then runs through the forest above the Wondreb.

Shortly after a farm on the left side of the path there is a crossroads at the junction to Altenhammer. The Hammerhof is located below the path on an island between the Mühlgraben and the Wondreb. When Hammer over the pen the Altenhammer is first mentioned in a document in 1434. It was a water-powered hammer forge. The iron processed there has been in the monastery-owned villages of Kleinsterz and Pfaffenreuth since the 13th century Colliery Bavarian country Pebbles mined). Until 1803 the Altenhammer was operated by the Cistercian Abbey of Waldsassen as a monastery-owned property.

Follow the Oberpfalzweg to the village Koenigshütte. There the Oberpfalzweg branches off to the left at the first crossroads within the town. The pilgrimage route, on the other hand, takes a shorter route through the towns of Königshütte, Neuhof and Leonberg and to the historical and religious points there. The two paths then meet again south-east of Leonberg.

In Königshütte, continue downwards across the intersection towards the historic town center. On the right is the classicist salt barn. At Kreisstraße 3, the path leads through the former royal Bavarian ironworks to Neuhof. At the end of the village there is a children's playground on the left.

Immediately after a short ascent is the farmstead of the former Grangie who belonged to Waldsassen Abbey from 1234 to 1803 on the left side of the road Neuhof. The Grangien (monastery courtyards) were the stable economic basis of the Cistercian monasteries. Initially by conversers (lay monks), later mostly through compulsory or wage labor or leasing, agricultural products were produced on the farms for the monastery's own use, but also for sale in the municipal monastery courtyards. In addition to agriculture and cattle breeding, the Grangien in the Stiftland usually also had fish ponds. At Neuhof they are in the valley of the Kornmühlbach, east of the village.

Almost 170 m after the end of Neuhof, the pilgrim path branches off in a bend in the county road to Zirkenreuth from this south towards the forest. Follow the path through the forest. At the end of the forest, shortly before Leonberg, it meets the district road 40. From there, walk about 200 in the direction of Leonberg, cross the district road 22 and after another 60 m turn right into the village Leonberg turn. The local road initially goes west and then turns south. At the junction do not go in the direction of Mitterteich, but uphill between the Parish Church of St. Leonhard with baroque Mount of Olives- And Cemetery chapel and the Rectory from 1772 back to Kreisstraße 40. From the forecourt of the church there is a beautiful view over the farms of the village into the Wondrebsenke and Mitterteich.

The pilgrim path crosses Kreisstraße 40, meets the Oberpfalzweg again after approx. 225 m and then turns right (south) towards Dobrigau after another 25 m. Dobrigau, which has belonged to the Waldsassen monastery since 1227, is a typical example of a Rundanger village that was planned as part of the sovereign high-medieval development of the country. At the crossroads in the center of the village go a short distance to the right and then follow the Oberpfalzweg to the left over the Anger between the playground and the wayside cross into the Wondrebtal valley. The path initially goes west and then turns sharply south about 290 m after the end of the village. Over the Wondreb Bridge the path continues south through the village Topic reuth to Bundesstraße 15. This can be crossed by an underpass at the Finkenstich restaurant. The European main watershed runs along the B 15. To the south of it the flowing waters flow over the Danube into the Black Sea, to the north over the Elbe and Rhine into the North Sea. The pilgrim path continues to follow the Upper Palatinate Path. This turns west shortly after the B 15 and then follows in an arc Munch green. Attention: When the B 15 has been crossed by the underpass, you have to go back about 12 m to the right on the road to get to the junction of the path. Alternatively, you can also take the shortcut along the road to Münchsgrün.

The marked path crosses the row of lettuce ponds, comes out of the forest west of Münchsgrün and then turns sharply left towards the village. In the village, the path branches off after approx. 190 m at the first branch to the south in the direction of Tirschenreuth.

Shortly after a bend to the southeast, the path crosses a stream between two fish ponds, the Harlohe. In the area south of the path to the next junction is the early modern desert lubrication hut. Around 1840 there were still some small buildings that were probably used by the state forestry office.

After a further 1,15 km the path (Oberpfalzweg) bends sharply to the right to the south and continues to Tirschenreuther pond pan. After crossing the dam between the first two ponds (Steiningerteich), the path at Kreuzholz turns south-east again and leads between the ponds to the intersection with the European cycle path “The Blue Path” on the route of the former Wiesau-Bärnau Vizinalbahn . Vizinalbahnen were in Bavaria according to a law of 1869 as Railway lines of local importance produced for the development of rural areas. The operation of the railway line, which opened in 1872, was discontinued between Bärnau and Tirschenreuth in 1975 and after Wiesau in 1989 for economic reasons.

At the intersection, the pilgrim path branches off from the Oberpfalzweg. This goes on to the right to the sky ladder at the pond pan and then leads in a large arc west around Tirschenreuth. A detour to the Himmelsleiter approx. 440 m away is recommended. The unique cultural and natural landscape of the pond pan with its almost 600 ponds can only really be grasped from the elevated location. The pilgrim path follows the crossing of the Vizinalbahn (Vizinalbahn-Radweg / Der Blaue Weg / Örtl. Hiking trail 24821 - 1000 ponds and heavenly ladder, red on white markings) to Tirschenreuth. Shortly before the start of the village Tirschenreuth the path crosses a partially silted pond with the Fischerhüttenbach. Then the Vorholz picnic area follows on the left at the entrance to the village. The path continues along the outskirts, crosses Kornbühlstrasse and then leads along Falkenberger Strasse and Bahnhofstrasse. At the roundabout a short distance to the right until Bahnhofstrasse branches off from the B 15 in the direction of the city center. It leads directly to the central Maximilianplatz in the old town. Shortly before reaching the square on the left of Schmellerstraße zur Parish and pilgrimage church of the Assumption of Mary with the Chapel of Grace and the Mount of Olives and the historic one Rectory follow, across the church square with the St. Mary's fountain, the Hospitalstrasse with the former Hospital and go down Koloman-Maurer-Straße in an arch to the northeast corner of Maximilianplatz. From there left through Hoermanngasse to the former. Monastery at Luitpoldplatz. A short distance down the Hochwarthstraße with the former front vest go to the right and then take the footpath on the left Museumsquartier Take Tirschenreuth and the tourist information over to Regensburger Straße. There right and immediately left again south on House by the pond over over the Way of a thousand ponds, with information on the German fishing areas, on the city pond circular route. The Stadtteich-Rundweg either left on the bank of the (Upper) City pond and then - after a swivel over the Mühlbach - over the historic Fischhofbrücke to fish yard, the former Grangie of the Waldsassen Abbey in Tirschenreuth, or shortcut to the right and then directly over the modern footbridge (Max-Gleißner-Spannbandbrücke) to the Fischhof.

Information and contact addresses

District Tirschenreuth:

-     Tirschenreuth district tourism center

Maehringer Strasse 7, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/88223, email: tourismus@tirschenreuth.de, www.oberpfaelzerwald.de

-     Holiday region Stiftsland

c / o Tourist-Info Waldsassen, Basilikaplatz 3, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/88160, email: tourist-info@waldsassen.de, www.ferienregion-stiftsland.de

Forest residents:

-     Cistercian Abbey Waldsassen

Basilica square 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/92000, email: info@abtei-waldsassen.de, www.abtei-waldsassen.de

-     Foundation culture and meeting center and environmental station Waldsassen

Basilica square 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/920044, email: kubz@abtei-waldsassen.de, Umweltstation@abtei-waldsassen.de, www.kubz.de

-     Catholic parish office Waldsassen

Basilica square 6, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/1387, email: info@pfarrei-waldsassen.de, www.pfarrei-waldsassen.de

-     Evangelical Lutheran Church Congregation

Parish office Johannisplatz 7, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/1281, email: pfarramt.waldsassen@elkb.de, www.waldsassen-evangelisch.de

-     Tourist information office in Waldsassen

Basilica square 3, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/88160, email: tourist-info@waldsassen.de, www.waldsassen.de

Leonberg:

-     Tourist Information Mitterteich

Kirchplatz 12, 95666 Mitterteich

Tel .: + 49/9633 / 89-123, email: tourist-info@mitterteich.de, www.mitterteich.de

Tirschenreuth

-     Catholic parish office Tirschenreuth

Kirchplatz 3, 95643 Tirschenreuth,

Tel .: +49/9631/1451, email: info@pfarrei-tirschenreuth.de, www.pfarrei-tirschenreuth.de

-     Evangelical Lutheran Parish Tirschenreuth

Büttellochweg 1, 95643 Tirschenreuth,

Tel .: +49/9631/1396, email: pfarramt.tirschenreuth@elkb.de, www.evanelische-kirchengemeinde-tirschenreuth.de

-     Tourist info Tirschenreuth

Regensburger Str. 6, 95643 Tirschenreuth,

Tel .: +49/9631/600248, email: stefanie.suess@stadt-tirschenreuth.de, www.stadt-tirschenreuth.de

-     Förderverein Fischhofpark eV

Ringstrasse 96a, 95643 Tirschenreuth, www.fischhofparkt-tirschenreuth.de

-     ARGE Fisch im Landkreis Tirschenreuth eV

Maehringer Strasse 7, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/88223, email: tourismus@tirschenreuth.de, www.erlebnis-fisch.de

Museums

-     Waldsassen Abbey Library

about: Cistercian Abbey Waldsassen

Basilica square 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/92000, email: info@abtei-waldsassen.de, www.abtei-waldsassen.de

-     Waldsassen Abbey Museum

Museumsstrasse 1, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/88120, email: beatrix.rustler@waldsassen.de, www.waldsassen.de

-     Tirschenreuth Museum Quarter

Regensburger Strasse 6, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/6122, email: info@museumsquartier-tirschenreuth.de

Accommodation (selection)

Forest residents:

-     Guesthouse St. Joseph

Basilica square 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/923880, email: info@haus-sankt-joseph.de, www.abtei-waldsassen.de

Nurtschweg host; Nurtschweg stop; Certified Upper Palatinate Bike World Host

13 double / 15 single rooms, 41 beds

With a monastery shop, restaurant and seminar rooms

-     Pilgrim room

about: Cistercian Abbey Waldsassen

Basilica square 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/92000, email: info@abtei-waldsassen.de, www.abtei-waldsassen.de

-     Hotel-Gasthof Zrenner

Dr.-Otto-Seidl-Str. 13, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/5555, email: info@hotel-zrenner.de, www.hotel-zrenner.de

Nurtschweg host; Certified Upper Palatinate Bike World Host

22 rooms, 38 beds

-     Hotel-restaurant for the former Royal Bavarian Forest House

Basilica square 5, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: + 49/9632 / 9204-0, email: info@koenigliches-forsthaus.de, www.koenigliches-forsthaus.de

19 double / 6 single rooms, 44 beds

-     Hotel restaurant Bayerischer Hof

Bahnhofstrasse 15, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/923130, email: info@bayerischerhof-waldsassen.de, www.bayerischerhof-waldsassen.de

-     Gasthof Roeckl

Kolpingstrasse 19, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/5378, email: info@gasthof-roeckl.de, www.gasthof-roeckl.de

8 double / 2 single rooms

-     Further guesthouses and accommodations (host list) via Tourist-Info Waldsassen

Topic reuth:

-     Gasthof Finkenstich

Owner A. Weidlich, Themenreuth 7, 95666 Leonberg-Themenreuth

Tel .: +49/9633/1362, email: info@finkenstich.de, www.finkenstich.de

11 beds in single and double rooms, regional cuisine, beer garden

-     Apartment Burger

Owner J. Burger, Themareuth 22, 95666 Leonberg-Themenreuth

Tel .: +49/9633/689, email: burgerkathrin@yahoo.de

1 apartment

-     Further holiday apartments and accommodations (host list) via Tourist-Info Mitterteich

Tirschenreuth:

-     Hotel-Restaurant Seenario

Owner M. Häring, Platz am See 1 + 2, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: + 49/9631 / 7999341-0, email: rezeption@hotel-seenario.de, www.hotel-seenario.de

25 double rooms, 1 barrier-free room, restaurant with lake terrace, fitness studio

-     Brigitte private pension

Owner B. Bock, Mitterteicher Str. 38, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/798698, email: info@privatpension-brigitte.de, www.privatpension-brigitte.de

2 double rooms

-     Private pension Eckert-Schuller

Owner R. Schuller, Kornbühlstr. 7, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/4571, Mobile: 0160/93960953

6 rooms with 9 beds, breakfast possible

-     Private pension air

Owner O. Luft, Ringstr. 10, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/4180

3 double rooms, 1 of which is barrier-free

-     House Elfi

Owner E. Flauger, Theresienstr. 23, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/2802, email: haus.elfi@t-online.de

2 apartments, 1 single room, breakfast possible

-     Apartment Beer

Owner W. Beer, Schützenstr. 11, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/5384, email: kontakt@beer-fewo.de, www.beer-fewo.de

1 apartment

-     Holiday apartment Christina

Owner C. Maischl, Stiftlandring 81, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/6004639, mobile: 0152/26236371, email: franz-josef-maischl@gmx.de

1 apartment, breakfast possible

-     Holiday apartment Gleißner

Owner J. Gleißner, Kanonikus-Mehler-Str. 4, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Tel .: +49/9631/7279280, mobile: 0151/17063681, email: gleissner-ferienwohnung-tirschenreuth@gmx.de, www.ferienwohnung-tirschenreuth.jimdofree.com

1 apartment

-     Apartment Mia

Tuchmacherstr. 18, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Mobile: 0152/26236371, email: peternickl10@googlemail.com

1 apartment

-     Apartment Konrad

Lohnsitz 21, 95643 Tirschenreuth-Lohnsitz

Tel .: +49/9631/7991819, email: enail44@web.de, www.ferienwohnung-zum-see-tir.de  

1 apartment

-     Apartment Zant with a view of the countryside

Owner S. Zant, Kornbühlstr. 55, 95643 Tirschenreuth

Mobile: 0176/62269272, email: zant.sandra@web.de

1 apartment

-     Further accommodations (host directory) and gastronomy directory via Tourist Info Tirschenreuth

Bike Rental

Forest residents:

-     Tourist information office in Waldsassen

Basilica square 3, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/88160, email: tourist-info@waldsassen.de, www.waldsassen.de

-     Waldsassen bike station

Prinz-Ludwig-Str. 34, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/5632, email: info@bike-station-waldsassen.de, www.bike-station-waldsassen.de

Bicycle and e-bike rental, bicycle repairs

Luggage transport for hikers

Forest residents:

-     "Staade Zeiten", via: Tourist-Info Waldsassen

Basilica square 3, 95652 Waldsassen

Tel .: +49/9632/88160, email: tourist-info@waldsassen.de, www.waldsassen.de

Luggage transport for hikers, guided hiking tours ...

Waldsassen - Königshütte - Neuhof - Leonberg - Themed Reuth - Münchsgrün - Tirschenreuth