Weg der Stille - (von Marienmünster bis Brenkhausen) - 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 second stage leads from Marienmünster Abbey to the Brenkhausen monastery complex.

The  former Benedictine abbey of Marienmünster has made a special 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 houses the sound memory of Westphalia and is known far beyond the region.

The second stage takes you from Marienmünster Abbey to the Hungerberg. "Once you have made it up this difficult and steep path, you are satisfied and feel the peace and freedom. At this point, you are particularly close to heaven, you can take a deep breath," promises a meditation station next to the Hungerberg Chapel. And indeed, if you climb the observation tower, the sky is close enough to touch and the view extends as far as the Hermann monument, across the Steinheim basin to the Ottenstein plateau and the Köterberg.

Once back down, the path leads through a beautiful avenue, past the Jewish cemetery and through the climatic health resort of Vörden. You can take another break at the pilgrim crosses between Vörden and Eilversen or at the rest area in Eilversen itself and fortify yourself for the rest of the route.

The route then continues above the village of Bremerberg and through the Heiligengeisterholz forest area. You follow wide forest paths as well as narrow forest trails and can enjoy beautiful views time and again. In this section, you follow the historic monastery trail and can catch a glimpse of the Brenkhausen Monastery and the village of the same name a few kilometers before the end of the second stage.

The Brenkhausen Monastery is now home to the headquarters of the General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Germany. In the spirit of living ecumenism and hand in hand with the Catholic parish, they are allowing monastic life to flourish anew. You are cordially invited to immerse yourself in this world for a moment and hear about the spirituality of the Coptic Church.