The Way of St James (Camino de Santiago)
The Way of St James is the classic pilgrimage route. From all over Europe, paths lead pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. Over the past 20 years in Baden-Württemberg, several of the traditional paths constituting the Way of St James have been signposted as such. They form a dense network inviting people to either make a pilgrimage on sections of the routes or even to use this as a starting point for the long trek to Santiago.
The major routes forming the Way of St James in Baden-Württemberg go from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Konstanz via Ulm, or via the Black Forest to Freiburg. But there are also a host of small “feeder paths” taking pilgrims to the main routes. That’s not really surprising – after all, they say that the Way of St James always begins right outside one’s own front door.
The Way of St Martin
The Way of St. Martin or “Via Sancti Martini” takes pilgrims on one main path and four regional paths – forming a 1,200 kilometre-long European cultural and pilgrimage route – through the Diocese. In the Diocese, it runs from Tannheim in the district of Biberach as far as Schwaigern near Heilbronn, connecting a variety of St. Martin’s churches in the process.
The regional paths are located in the Lake Constance-Allgäu-Oberschwaben area, in Hohenlohe, in the Donau valley and the Zollernalb, and also on the Reutlinger Alb and the Zwiefaltener Alb. “Sharing the path” – this is made possible on the Way of St. Martin, with several churches well worth seeing, cultural specialities, varied landscapes and hospitable people.
