Discover Waghäusel: Hotels, Hermitage and Pilgrimage Routes

Waghäusel brings together the history of the Hermitage and the Marian pilgrimage with pilgrimage routes and cycling. When choosing a hotel, it is worth considering these different highlights: the first Hermitage complex reflects the history of the prince-bishops, while the Marian pilgrimage and the routes each have their own historical and practical significance.

The Hermitage and the Marian Pilgrimage

The first Hermitage complex in Waghäusel was built between 1724 and 1729 as a hunting lodge and retreat for Prince-Bishop Damian Hugo von Schönborn. This period refers to the first complex, not to every topic associated with the Hermitage in general.

The Marian pilgrimage is another historical point of reference. According to legend, the Waghäusel Marian pilgrimage began when a shepherd found a statue of the Virgin Mary in 1435. In 1472/73, Bishop Matthias Rammung had a chapel built for pilgrims. The dates have different meanings: 1435 belongs to the legendary account of the origins, while 1472/73 marks the construction of the chapel. This distinguishes the traditional story of the discovery from the dated founding of the chapel.

Pilgrimage Routes and Cycling

The Marian Way in Waghäusel passes through several stations and invites visitors to make a pilgrimage on foot or by bicycle. The main route of the Vin Sancti Martini pilgrimage route takes a different course: it leads from Bruchsal via the Marian Chapel in Wiesental to Speyer. The route descriptions therefore have different focuses: the Marian Way highlights stations in Waghäusel and pilgrimage on foot or by bicycle; the named points along the Vin Sancti Martini main route are Bruchsal, Wiesental and Speyer.

One station of the Schönborn Avenues project is located in Kirrlach, a district of Waghäusel. It provides information about the historic Baroque road network, is a good place for a short break on a cycling tour, and invites visitors to explore this network by bicycle. Alongside the pilgrimage tradition, it offers something of interest to cyclists.

More Cultural Highlights in the Wider Karlsruhe Destination

In the wider Karlsruhe destination, Karlsruhe district stretches from the Rhine Plain in the west, across the hilly Kraichgau region in the east, to the foothills of the Northern Black Forest in the south. The district’s cycling network covers more than 1,500 km. This figure describes the network’s regional extent, not the length of any one route in Waghäusel.

Other historical highlights in the wider Karlsruhe destination include Bruchsal Palace. It is a prince-bishop’s residence and one of the most magnificent prince-bishop’s residences in Germany. It is especially renowned for the staircase by Balthasar Neumann, described as the “crown of all Baroque staircases.” The Bruchsal Municipal Museum is located on the third floor of the Baroque palace; it documents the history of the Bruchsal area from the Stone Age to the present day.

Bretten offers another historical focus: after the Lutherhalle in Wittenberg, the Melanchthon House is the second-largest museum of Reformation history in Germany. The Swiss Court dates from 1707 and houses Bretten’s municipal and regional history museum. These destinations complement the local view of Waghäusel with other distinct aspects of history in the wider Karlsruhe destination.

Discover More Destinations

Wiesental, Stutensee, Ettlingen, Forst, Philippsburg, Marxzell, Karlsruhe, Bad Schönborn

To the wider travel overview: Karlsruhe.