Jakobsweg Etappe von St. Wendel nach Tholey

This stage takes us from the Wendelinus basilica in St. Wendel through Wendelinus Park via Winterbach and Alsweiler to the abbey church of St. Mauritius in Tholey.

This 15 km stage of the Way of St. James to Tholey starts at the Wendelinus basilica. It runs parallel to the Wendelinus pilgrimage route from St. Wendel to the abbey church in Tholey, whose symbol is a stylized black pilgrim's staff with a cross on a white background.

Along the way, panels with reflective texts are set up to encourage people to pause and reflect. At the same time, they are intended to encourage or strengthen the soul.

St. Wendel was first mentioned in 496 AD as Basonvillaris. In the 6th century, Saint Wendelin, who belonged to an Irish-Scottish monastic movement, lived here. According to legend, he was the son of a king on his way to Rome to receive the royal crown, but settled in St. Wendel as a hermit. Today, the Wendelinus Chapel with a fountain dedicated to him stands on the exact spot where he plunged his staff into the ground during a great drought.The name "St. Wendalino" was first mentioned in a document by Balduin of Luxembourg, Archbishop of Trier, in the 14th century as part of the early medieval veneration of St. Wendelin. He wanted to develop the town into an economic and cultural center and so St. Wendel was granted market and town rights in 1332. Construction of the Wendelinusbasilika soon began, but it was not completed until 1460 in the late Gothic style. With the high dome of the west tower, it is a landmark of the city that can be seen from afar and is considered one of the most beautiful hall churches in Germany.The bones of St. Wendelin can still be found in the high tomb at the altar. An image of St. James with the shell is displayed on the side of the tumba. As an important pilgrimage church, St. Wendelin's Basilica attracts numerous pilgrims, especially during the annual pilgrimage events at Pentecost and during St. Wendelin's Week.The medieval ambience around the fruit market gives an impression of the former importance of St. Wendel as a pilgrimage center. The pilgrim leaves the city center via Luisenstraße in the direction of Alsfassen and soon reaches Wendelinuspark with its golf course.

Shortly behind Wendelinuspark is the Wallesweilerhof with the St. Annen Chapel, which is a listed building. The chapel is the first stop for pilgrims. Wonderful views of the hilly landscape of the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park and a wonderful view of the 569-metre-high Schaumberg accompany the pilgrims on their hike towards Winterbach and Alsweiler.

The Hiwwelhaus in Alsweiler is the oldest farmhouse in south-west Germany to have been preserved in its original state and is located just 300 m from the trail. You also hike through the Alsbach valley and then have a wonderful view of Tholey with its venerable abbey church.

Another detour is worth making to the Roman excavation site of Wareswald near Tholey. This was once the site of an important Gallo-Roman settlement at the intersection of two Roman roads. Today, research is being carried out in Wareswald to find traces of the ancestors and their way of life. Initial finds, such as numerous remains of baths, underfloor heating and elaborate wall paintings, indicate that the population of the time had a high standard of living.

The end point of this stage is the abbey church of St. Mauritius in Tholey, which is just a few meters away. The abbey church dates back to the 12th century. Its predecessor church was first mentioned in 634 AD. Benedictine monks still live and work in Tholey today. The church will reopen in fall 2020 after extensive renovation work, and the three newly designed main choir windows by Gerhard Richter are particularly worth seeing. It is also worth visiting the "Theulegium" museum.