The best city hikes and walks in Laarbruch

Especially beautiful in the evening hours

"Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament... Built in 1860 as a confession chapel for Dutch pilgrims | Rededicated in 1953 as the Brother Konrad Chapel | Blessed Sacrament Chapel since 1975..." https://blattus.de/archiv/kaz/texte/s_kaz/sakramentskapelle.html

"...The parish of Kevelaer was established in 1472 by separating from the parish of Weeze. The small, east-facing, Gothic village church, built around 1450, remained unchanged until the 19th century. The reconstructed remains of this building are integrated into the current modern church interior and are used as a chapel. A larger, magnificently designed, neo-Gothic church with the approximate floor plan of the present main building was erected only after the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady and was consecrated in 1904. During the Second World War, the church was largely destroyed and rebuilt in 1952. In order to bring the church into compliance with the requirements of the Second Vatican Council, a comprehensive renovation, particularly of the chancel, took place in 1972 (i.e., for the 500th anniversary of the parish's founding). On January 13, 1982, the church burned down to its foundations; only the outer walls of the chapel, the baptistery, the sacristy, and the chancel survived." The chancel and the tower. The modern new building, constructed on the historical foundations, was designed by Dieter Georg Baumewerd. Renowned artists such as Theo Heiermann, Bert Gerresheim, and Joachim Klos created the interior furnishings. On January 17, 1987, the rebuilt church was consecrated by Bishop Reinhard Lettmann. In addition to its regular use as a parish church, St. Antonius, due to its convenient location at the end of the park-like open-air Stations of the Cross, is a popular choice for pilgrimage groups from afar as the site for their final prayers… https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Antonius_(Kevelaer)

"The St. Marien parish owns and operates the large cemetery grounds on Römerstraße. Together with the large Stations of the Cross that borders the cemetery, it forms Kevelaer's green lung, situated right in the town center. Parts of the cemetery are listed as historical monuments, and it contains a number of monuments worthy of preservation, for which the parish council has been working diligently for years. This led to the launch of a campaign entitled 'Acquire the right to use a burial plot with a monument worthy of preservation now.'" https://www.wallfahrt-kevelaer.de/einrichtungen/friedhof

Around 1300, he became truly fashionable as a patron saint in the Lower Rhine region. Farmers, in particular, hoped for his assistance, having seen ancient depictions of the saint with a pig on a rope, which is said to mean that he had a firm rein in evil and could control it. Farmers therefore called on Saint Anthony for assistance when their pigs became sick. In the Middle Ages and even later, there was often only one pig in the stable, and if it became ill, it was an economic disaster for the farmer. As late as the first third of the last century, there was a custom for farmers in a parish to select a piglet as St. Anthony's pig, which was then fattened up by all the villagers. When it was ready for slaughter, the poorest families received the meat free of charge. Source: https://www.antonius-kevelaer.de/unsere-kirchen-und-kapellen/unser-pfarrpatron/

Already on the way to the main portal, "Ferke(l) s Tön," the patron saint of the parish, greets churchgoers high above on a stele. Saint Anthony (the Great) is the father of monks. His feast day is January 17th. He was born in 251 or 252 in Kome in Middle Egypt. His parents were quite wealthy Christians. After their deaths, he gave away all his possessions and lived a very ascetic life in various places in the desert. He quickly became famous. Disciples gathered around him because they wanted to live like him; others sought his advice or his prayers for healing. Even Emperor Constantine and his sons exchanged letters with Anthony. He died at the age of 105. What is his significance? He gathered individual hermits into hermit communities and gave them guidelines for how they should live. In essence, he was the "inventor" of monasticism.

"...The route now leads us along idyllic paths directly along the Niers River, where some canoeists are paddling leisurely through the water. We gradually reach Weeze. The Castles & Palaces Route also takes us through Weeze Zoo. We take this opportunity to dismount our bikes and walk a few steps through the grounds. We pass goats, sheep, donkeys, and deer. If you like, you can take a longer walk through the zoo and visit other animals such as alpacas, Shetland ponies, or the insectarium..." Learn more about our exciting tour on the Castles & Palaces Route at: https://www.netreisetagebuch.de/burgen-und-schloesser-route/

In April 1994, the approximately 2.0 m tall statue "The Pilgrim," created by Düsseldorf artist Bert Gerresheim, was placed on the main street at the entrance to the pilgrimage center and ceremoniously inaugurated. The bronze figure appears somber in its sackcloth robe, with its hood pulled deep over its intricately designed face, its bony hands, and bare toes. Bert Gerresheim envisioned a person as they might have lived in the early days of the pilgrimage, in harsh, deprived times, with war and profound uncertainty everywhere. At the pilgrim's feet is a toad, a demon that turns away, thus remaining blind to the consolation and release from suffering that the pilgrim approaches. Source: https://www.kevelaerer-blatt.de/30-jahre-der-pilger-in-kevelaer/