Two special guided tours have attracted visitors to Loccum Monastery in recent weeks.
On Sunday, 14 September, around 40 interested people set off together on Open Monument Day to explore part of the “Small Monastery Landscape Trail”.
Just a few days later, Bishop Ralf Meister and Abbot zu Loccum hiked the entire circular trail with the members of the convent themselves. “It was important to us to get to know the trail and to consciously experience the landscape,” reported the members of the convent.

On Hans-Georg Sievers’ guided hikes along the Little Monastery Landscape Trail, visitors discovered the fascinating hydraulic engineering of the Cistercians. They learned how the Cistercians brought fresh water from the Drei-Teiche spring into the monastery and from the Ahberg spring via artificial streams into the grounds. Hans Georg Sievers explained how the monks used ponds for brewing and fishing purposes and drained waste water in a targeted manner. This enabled them to farm their surroundings sustainably and provide the monastery with a self-sufficient supply of water.

The importance of the monastery goes beyond the local level: as part of the European Cisterscapes project, Loccum Monastery was awarded the European Heritage Label in 2024. This makes it one of 17 outstanding Cistercian monasteries in Europe that are recognized for their historical, cultural and scenic significance. The seal recognizes not only the architectural and historical testimonies, but also the sustainable care of the landscape, which is still visible today through the monastery forest, ponds, canals and old farm buildings.

In order to make this cultural heritage even more tangible in the future, various offers are planned for the coming year. These include the training of tour guides who will introduce interested visitors to the Small Monastery Landscape Trail. In this way, the heritage will not only be preserved, but also passed on in a lively way.