Einsiedeln („Way of Svabia“) B - Rorschach - Einsiedeln („Way of St
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Various ways of St. James (with brochures available in PDF- On the Way of St. James format) in Switzerland A -Constance - Einsiedeln („Way of Svabia“) B - Rorschach - Einsiedeln („Way of St. Gallen“) C - Einsiedeln-Flüeli-Ranft - Brünig („Way of Central Switzerland“) D - Brünig-Amsoldingen („Way of the Bernese Oberland“) E - Amsoldingen-Romont („Way of Berne/Friboug“) F - Romont-Lausanne-Genève („Way of Western Swizterland“) G - Lucerne-Rüeggisberg-Schwarzenburg („Lucerne Way“) H - Rankweil - Einsiedeln („Vorarlberg-Appenzell Way“) K - Schaffhausen-Tobel (Monastery way) Contact address: Verein Jakobsweg.ch Postfach 151, CH-3700 Spiez Tel 0041 (0)33 655 04 00 Mail: [email protected] Accomodation see: www.jakobsweg.ch Important pointer Helpers and association members walked the route themselves to in- spect it. As volunteers, they edited the brief route descriptions based on the state as encountered. The accuracy of the contents and specially the correspondence with the official Way of St. James way-posting cannot be guaranteed by the association „jakobsweg.ch » and the authors, also in the sense of a product guarantee. Pilgrims are therefore asked to follow the official Way of St. James way-posts if discrepancies occur, and (2) Rorschach - Einsiedeln to notify us. „„Rorschach Branch“ “ Many thanks. Texts : Winfried Erbach, Joe Weber and Klaus Augustiny (manuscript reader). Translated from German by Hans Bamert Itinerary and directions for pilgrims Pictures: Wolfgang Hörer / Winfried Erbach, and several others Copyright: Verein „jakobsweg.ch“ © Copyright Verein „jakobsweg.ch“, Spiez (Berner Oberland) Signalisation - Via Jacobi Pilgrimage today „Travelling on foot – ample time for reflecton“ Signalisation - Via Jacobi Today’s restless and hectic life leaves its marks. Ever more people suffer from not being Sign in the direction of Santiago de Compostela masters of their time. They even allow themselves to be pressed by tight schedules set by themselves. A feeling of insecurity and uneasiness make themselves felt. The conse- National Way of St-James No. 4 - Via Jacobi quence of excessive demands made on people, is exhaustion. Many are about to lose sight of their own good and need a stop in order to come to grips with life again. Travelling on the Way of St James gives us precisely what we are looking for, namely inner rest and peace. Since the early middle ages, a great many people have gone on a pilgrimage on the old pilgrim route from Scandinavia through Switzerland to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the end of the world (finis terrae) as known then. Pilgrims who were beset by fears and pressures. Even if the pressures of earlier times were different from ours, the important thing was then, and is again now, to take time for oneself, to put things in perspective and on the long and strenuous way to find one’s inner self, to Signpost - Via Jacobi sign let the way itself be the real goal of the journey. on yellow background Thousands of pilgrims have travelled on the route described here. It leads from hilly Eas- tern Switzerland via Einsiedeln to the Lake of Lucerne, and from there via Flüeli-Ranft to Via Jacobi - shell shows in the Via Jacobi - shell shows in the the mountainous Bernese Oberland, then through the gentler topography of the Gan- left directon right direction trisch region to Fribourg and the inviting, pleasant scenery of Western Switzerland. One of the reasons for many pilgrims from Southern Germany to take this route was the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains where they could experience god’s creation and love in a special measure. In monasteries and churches along the route, they found not only board and lodging, but also consolation and spiritual support. On the way, they experienced hospitality marked by simplicity and christian charity. Also today, many of these historical churches and monasteries along the Way of St James invite pilgrims to a stopover, and also today, one meets many nice and like-minded people along the way. In this article, we describe the Way of St James and show pictures of some interesting Returning way sights. We would like to invite you to „be on the way“ together with other people. In the tradition of the pilgrims, the way itself shall become the most important goal of your journey. Take your time and experience this wonderful stretch of land – a present of god Via Jacobi - french sign Via Jacobi Nr. 44 in the opinion of many - at a walking pace. You will find your inner peace, we vouch for Shell shows in the left direction shell shows in the right direction this. Tue listed hiking routes roughly correspond with those of the „Schweizer Wanderwege SAW“. In the attachment we show you where to find accommodation and board. The listed inns, hotels and guesthouses, but also farmsteads offering accommodation on straw stacks, are directly situated along the Way of St James. They are specially bound to honour the pilgrim tradition, and, with the so-called „Pilgerbatzen“, they furthermore have contributed financially to the creation of this site. Working group „jakobsweg.ch“ 2 - (2) Rorschach-Einsiedeln (www.jakobsweg.ch) (2) Rorschach-Einsiedeln (www. jakobsweg.ch) - 3 Rorschach – Einsiedeln - „Rorschach Branch“ Rorschach - Herisau „Rorschach Branch“ (Rorschach – Einsiedeln) Section Rorschach-Herisau (102 km, walking time around 25 hours) As in earlier times, pilgrims today start their pilgrimage through Switzerland at the lake- port of Rorschach, arriving there by boat from Friedrichshafen. They come from Germany, but also from the more distant countries of Eastern Europe. They are joined by pilgrims from Swit- zerland who want to start their pilgrimage from here. The route takes them from Lake Constance to the town of St.Gallen, then to Herisau in the Canton of Appenzell, and through its typical hill-country to the Toggenburg regi- on. Further on to Lake Zürich, either to the town of Rapperswil, or to Schmerikon on the banks of the Upper Lake Zürich. Those who go to Rapperswil will cross the lake on the wooden pilgrim’s footbridge to reach Einsiedeln on a mountain path via St.Meinrad at the Etzel pass. Those who turn off at Schmerikon bypass the lake through the plain of the Linth river, come to Lachen on Lake Zürich, then follow the route that pilgrims to Einsiedeln normally use, and go up to St.Meinrad at the Etzel pass where they join the route Rapperswil – Einsiedeln of the Way of St. James. The Way of St. James takes the pilgrims through towns and bigger communi- ties along quiet lanes in residential quarters, and lanes in town centres, many of the places having a long pilgrim tradition, past beautiful cathedrals and town churches and many noteworthy sites of cultural and historical interest. Outside these strongly populated and in part industrialised places, the pilgrims come through a countryside characterized by agriculture and fruit cultivation, on quiet field and forest paths through meadows, woods and wooded brook ravines. They walk through narrow and wide valleys with either still or flowing water, along the slopes of the gentle hilly landscape until up to mountain chains and passes where the physical exertion is rewarded with a wonderful outlook. Along the route, you will pass well-groomed farmsteads and old inns, also former pilgrim’s hostels. You come to hamlets and villages with well cared-for houses and gardens, and you will also meet with industrious and amiable residents with whom you can strike up a conversation, often over a refreshing drink. Topographic maps of the region Scale 1:25‘000: numbers 1075, 1094 and 1095 Scale 1:50‘000: numbers 217 and 227 4 - (2) Rorschach-Einsiedeln (www.jakobsweg.ch) (2) Rorschach-Einsiedeln (www. jakobsweg.ch) - 5 Rorschach - St. Gallen Rorschach - St. Gallen - Herisau Rorschach -- St. Gallen After the bridge, and to the left, we take the access road- 14 km, walking time around 3 hrs 45 min. way to the “Schaugenbädli” (bathing pool). Shortly after, however, we turn off to the left onto a forest road that While many pilgrims from southern Germany arrive by leads us out of the ravine onto flat grass-land. We conti- boat at the lake-port of Rorschach, pilgrims from Swit- nue past the first houses of St.Gallen-Neuhof to the bus zerland will arrive at the railway station “Stadtbahnhof” stop St.Gallen-Wilen. (Note: Pilgrims wanting to avoid and walk past the quayside to the port. A side-trip to walking through the the “Jakobsbrunnen” at the “Kronenplatz” is a fitting way city can take the bus to start the pilgrimage. The little bell on the fountain here). The route takes post reminds us of the St. James chapel that stood here us westwards until the until 1834. From the port we walk southwards, follow- Martinsbruggstrasse ing the St. James fingerposts through the narrow lanes which we leave after of the small town to the level crossing of the railway. Spisergasse St. Gallen a short stretch. We pass After the crossing we turn right, walk past the railway by the sports ground and traverse the Reheto- Rorschach-Jakobsbrunnen station “Rorschach-Stadt”, and then in a south-western belstrasse and arrive at the Bruggwiesenweg. direction through an industrial quarter to the Appen- This street at the southern fringe of the town Stiftskirche St. Gallen zellerstrasse. Following this road, we leave the town and near St.Fiden and along the Hagenbuch forest takes us to the Goldbrunnenweg walk upwards to “Müliberg”, a crossroads of old country (with the marvellous “Goldbrünneli”). This takes us to the Flurhofstrasse, which we lanes where we cross the motorway. After a short as- follow in a western direction to the Linsebühlstrasse with its church of St. Mary cent, we reach the Sulzberg castle, also called “Mötte- Magdalen, the spire of which indicated the direction so far.