Pilgrimage along the Haardt Mountains

With the so-called “Haardt-Achse” an imaginary connecting line crystallizes in the project Starry Path/Chemin des étoiles from the starting point of the old bishop’s seat Worms along the Haardt Mountains in the direction of Strasbourg with about 80 recorded medieval reference points.

Historical sources confirm this route: A tradition from 1494, for example, proves that Deidesheim is located on a “common pilgrimage route” which connected the Rhineland and Rhenish Hesse with Alsace along the “mountains”. There is also documentary evidence that Rhodt unter der Rietburg had a brotherhood of St. James in the Middle Ages.

Along this “Haardt axis”, these gems of medieval architectural culture are available as authentic destinations for individually designed pilgrimages, many of which can also be arranged as circular routes. A pilgrimage without marked routes allows the pilgrims a touch of being on the way in its most original form. What is meant is a route planning that is inspired by the “holy places” along the way: The remains of large and small cultural monuments, which even today invite you to marvel and pause! A rich offer of already existing hiking trails allows along the Haardt to explore the selected medieval destinations on your own, with a spirit of discovery and curiosity.

All recorded medieval gems along the Haardt axis can be found on the interactive map discover.

Stylized Haardt axis