Change at the top of the district of Bamberg
District Administrator Johann Kalb hands over to the new District Administrator Johannes Maciejonczyk after 12 years in office
The farewell ceremony for District Administrator Johann Kalb took place on Monday, April 27, 2026. After 12 years at the helm of the Bamberg district, Johann Kalb will hand over to the new District Administrator Johannes Maciejonczyk (CSU) on May 1.
Cisterscapes was and is a project close to Johann Kalb’s heart. He made this abundantly clear in his acceptance speech.
The numerous partners and stakeholders in the Cisterscapes network thanked Johann Kalb for his incredible commitment and political support on the path to the European Heritage Label in the form of a very personal video message.
We wish Johann Kalb and his family all the best and look forward to working with our new District Administrator Johannes Maciejonczyk!
Photo (from left): Johannes Maciejonczyk, Dr. Monika Riemer-Maciejonczyk, Monika Kalb, District Administrator Johann Kalb
Photo: Bamberg District Office/Ronald Rinklef
On the trail of the
Cistercians through Europe
Cisterscapes connecting Europe awarded the European Heritage Label
Cisterscapes connecting Europe awarded the European Heritage Label
The application of 17 Cistercian monastery landscapes from five European countries, Cisterscapes connecting Europe, coordinated by the district of Bamberg, was awarded the European Heritage Label in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 17, 2024.
With the first cultural heritage seal for a project initiated in Bavaria, the district of Bamberg is making history with its Ebrach Monastery and 16 other partners from Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. With this award, the European Commission confirms the outstanding role of the Cistercians for European integration.
Cultural landscape as European heritage
The Cistercian Way, newly opened in May 2022, is a 6,400 km long cultural hiking trail that leads through six European countries. The opening of sections of the routes in the partner locations (see dates) invite you to discover and hike. The trail connects the 17 monastery landscapes of the Cisterscapes network and touches numerous other attractive sights along the way. It leads through particularly unspoiled landscapes that offer culinary specialties and architectural treasures. The route is oriented towards Cîteaux in Burgundy, the cradle of the order, where all the abbots met for the annual general chapter.
The Cisterscapes network, founded in 2019 with the district of Bamberg as its sponsor, makes the cross-border cultural heritage of Cistercian landscapes visible. A total of 17 partners from five European countries, including a number of active convents, belong to the network. Coordinated by the district of Bamberg as part of the Ebrach Monastery Landscape, the network is currently applying for the European Heritage Label. All the monasteries in the network come from the filiation line of the Morimond Primary Abbey, one of the most active monasteries in the expansion of the Order in Central and Eastern Europe.
FILM: Landscapes of the Cistercians – Traces in Europe (2023)
Trailer 3:23 min.
Movie 41:30 min.
SHORT FILM: Masters of hydraulic engineering – the Cistercians
Short film 7:14 min.
SHORT FILM: Locked up – Historic monastery rooms at Ebrach Prison
Short movie 4:21 min.
Discover the monastery landscape of Plasy in the Czech Republic along the Cisterscapes long-distance hiking trail!
Short film 7:08 min.
Discover the Zwettl monastery landscape in Austria along the Cisterscapes long-distance hiking trail!
Short movie 6:07 min.
The Cistercian Trail runs along existing, already marked hiking trails. Again and again, small detours lead to other elements of the monastery landscape.
The Cistercian Way is not marked with its own marker. Please use the gpx data, hiking maps or the markings on the hiking trails to find your way.
Our sections with all detours, shortcuts and interesting intermediate destinations are also available at www.outdooractive.com (in the tour search, please use the filter “long-distance hiking trails”). We recommend installing the free Outdooractive app.
Overnight stay
Overnight stays are possible in many monasteries. Please contact them directly. Further accommodation options can be found at the regional and local tourist information offices.
The Cistercians as landscape designers
Seclusion from the world and living off one’s own labor were central ideals of the Cistercians.
They redesigned the areas of land entrusted to them according to their needs. Traces of this work can still be seen today.
