Disibodenberg — Attraction in Nahe-Glan

To clarify, ths Disibodenberg is not just a ruined monestary, but an entire ruin complex, in addition to a few other features (Hildegardis Kapelle, ancient tree, labyrinth, etc) that all are part of its museum/organization and only accessible through the entrance at the museum for a small fee (five euros for adults, kids under 12 were free; I didn't read more than that as my kids are quite young). I wish I had known there was SO much to see and do here, as I would have left a lot more time (we came here late in the afternoon and my kids don't do well once we start approaching dinnertime). We were there about 1.5 hours and I could easily have spent 2-3 hours here; we also missed the ancient tree and the labyrinth.

You start by parking at the Parkplatz Kloster Disibodenberg lot (which is quite big, I'd guess 30+ cars could fit, and there were a few shady spots, but no garbages), then walk to the museum adjacent to the "Weingut von Racknitz" on Google maps. That walk is quite short, only 2 minutes or so, and there are many signs pointing the way. Once there, there is a turnstile with a small box to drop coins into, but you can get through even if you don't pay (though the complex is ABSOLUTELY worth the minimal cost). There is a picnic table and water closet just prior to the entrance. Access to the museum itself and guided tours is quite limited in terms of opening hours, I believe only on Sundays, so I knew it would be closed during this visit. I had read on the website that the museum was accessible, but that the mountain wasn’t. Nevertheless I brought my (double BOB) jogging stroller, and there was a gate that would have allowed the stroller or a wheelchair in, but it was locked and there was no one to open it, so I had to hoist the stroller over the gate myself. Then the path to the ruin is largely gravel and at one point, VERY, VERY steep - I consider myself quite fit and strong and capable and I had a very hard time pushing my kids up the hill and then keeping the stroller from rolling away from me on the way down. It was easier when I offloaded one kid. The rest of the path is much more manageable. On first glimpse of the ruin, I was dismayed, as it seemed like a small ruined building that was mostly blocked off, but as we walked around it and then into it, I saw it was so much more, and it just kept going. ENDLESS ruin to explore, with signs declaring what a lot of the rooms were, and other signs showing you where in the complex you were and what else there is to see. Most of it seemed safe, though I was slightly nervous about the toddler who was trying to climb the walls like her older sisters, and there were some steep drops over the other side of some walls, and there were many uneven steps. The Hildegardis Kapelle is a gorgeous, modern chapel that is so very peaceful with great views and a calming ambiance. The door was closed and my oldest thought it was locked, but don't let that dissuade you, as if you turn the knob all the way, it will open. There was a bench just outside of it where we had a snack. From there you start seeing signs with Bible verses (mostly from the Psalms, if not all) and these go on all the way around to the exit, if you take the "back" part of the Rungweg. There were several horses around the property that you can't get near but were nice to look at.

Most of this path is shaded, but there were a few sunny spots. I read on reviews that the museum has some light refreshments, but there were no vending machines or other obvious places to get food or drink, and as it is quite a large complex, I'd recommend bringing some with you. I also recommend taking a picture of the map on any of the signs throughout the complex and using that to guide your path, as we wasted a fair amount of time backtracking when we could have moved through the ruins instead of turning around. This is one of those places that if you think "I wish I could go in there" or "does that path go anywhere?", you probably can, and it probably does, so explore every...

Die Klosterruine Disibodenberg steht auf einem sehr alten und heiligen Ort. In keltischer Zeit befand sich auf dem Berg ein Heiligtum, welches von den Römern übernommen wurde. Diese errichteten auf dem heiligen Berg der Kelten einen Jupitertempel. Dieser Tempel muss eine gewaltige Anlage gewesen sein, wenn man sich Reste anderer Tempelanlagen des Jupiter vor Augen führt. Wahrscheinlich sind Steine des Tempels im späteren Kloster verbaut worden. Das Kloster wurde im Mittelalter allerdings mehrfach geplündert und Zerstört. Zuletzt im Dreißigjährigen Krieg um 1620. Danach dienten die Mauern des Klosters als Steinbruch, um die zerstörten Dörfer wieder aufzubauen. Seitdem ist das Kloster eine Ruine. Die Mauerreste lassen aber immer noch erahnen, wie groß die Klosteranlage einst gewesen sein muss. Der erste Mönch auf dem Disibodenberg war der Heilige Disibod, nachdem der Berg später benannt wurde. Er kam 640 n. Chr. in die Gegend, um die Menschen an Nahe und Glan zu Missionieren. Er dürfte die Überreste des Jupitertempels noch gesehen haben. Übrigens hat man im Juli, vom Kloster aus, einen perfekten Blick auf Jupiter, der gleich hinter dem Mond über den südlichen Horizont wandert.

Die Klosteranlage ist rund um die Uhr geöffnet. Allerdings muss man durch eine Schranke gehen, bei der nach den regulären Zeiten ein freiwilliger Eintrittspreis von 5 EUR zu...

We found this by accident while traveling the countryside. It is a very large ruin site with a great history. The woman at the desk was very friendly and spoke English. They didn't have English brochures so if you plan to go, download information beforehand. It is a rather long walk from the ticket office to the ruins on a rough road. Sturdy walking shoes make it a much easier attraction to...