Meyerode Hermitage

The hermitage, also known as Eremitage in Kohlkaul, is located on the forest path from Meyerode to Eitersbach. It was founded in 1749 by Hubert Nelles. Around 1750, the lord of Wallerode at the time, Peter Benignus von Baring, and his wife Helena von Dhaem had a chapel built there along with a house for a hermit. In 1754, Nelles brought back a splinter of the Holy Cross from a pilgrimage to Rome. It is now kept in a cruciform reliquary located in the Saint Martin church of Meyerode and is taken to the hermitage during processions. It is also said that a side altar in this church comes from the hermitage.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several hermits lived a life of isolated prayer here.

In 1884, the house and stables burned down, but in 1892, it was rebuilt. However, by 1918, the building was in a state of disrepair. As there were no more hermits and the chapel had long remained unused, it was threatened with dilapidation and was dismantled in 1919.

In 1999-2000, the site was restored and the memorial was provided with a beautiful wooden roof. The blue stone reliefs are part of the Stations of the Cross of the former hermitage. Since the 19th century, it has been the property of the von Frühbuss family (Wallerode Castle).

Jan Rymenams