None of the stops on the Rhine are too far apart, even on the river, and much closer by land, so the River Queen arrived at our next port, Rudesheim, after lunch. The offered tour was of Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments, which is one of the major tourist attractions of Rudesheim. However, the Rambler had other plans. Going to a museum on a beautiful, hot, sunny day had no appeal. Besides, i had learned that Rudesheim had a strong connection to the amazing Abbess Hildegard, a 12th century physician, mystic, philosopher and musician. I hadn’t connected Rudesheim and Hildegard the last time we visited but now, armed with this new information, I was determined to visit her abbey on my own.
But first a little about Rudesheim. There are actually two of them, but Rudesheim on the Rhine is the larger and often visited by tourists on river cruises. Around 10,000 live in Rudesheim, another UNESCO site, like Boppard, because of its proximity to the Rhine gorge. Like Boppard, it is surrounded by vineyards and has a wine museum housed in the ruins of an historic castle. The last time the Ramblers visited Rudesheim, we took the cable car to the top of a steep hill overlooking the Rhine. It is a fun ride as it skims over the vineyards and deposits its passengers near the Niederwald monument which I wrote about in an earlier post. The Ramblers encourage you to take the cable car ride, as it is fun. From there you can walk down a paved path, return by cable car or even hike through the vineyards to the historic area of town.
Rudesheim also boasts the Drosselgasse, a narrow and steep medieval street paved with cobblestones and lined with quaint houses, shops and taverns. There you might enjoy a Rudesheimer coffee, the town’s most famous potent potable, made up of coffee, Asbach brandy and whipped cream. The headquarters and tasting room of the Asbach company is in Rudesheim. I have read mixed reviews of the tour and tasting, but Asbach Uralt is worth a taste if you enjoy brandy.
Another tourist spot that the Ramblers didn’t visit was the medieval torture museum. According to reviewers, it is a creepy place and here is a link if you are interested…
http://www.foltermuseum.com/index_us.html Somehow, looking at the ways people inflicted pain on others during the middle ages had no appeal, in today’s world that has enough bad things going on.
Instead I wanted to visit the Abbey of Eibingen which was founded by Hildegard even tho the current buildings are relatively new. I set off by myself as the Senior Rambler preferred to relax on board the River Queen. The Abbey is still home to cloistered Benedictine nuns who follow the thousand year old rule of St. Benedict. That means when you visit the Abbey, you probably won’t seen many nuns as most live a secluded life by choice. You may hear them singing in the choir loft, or perhaps playing the organ in the church. The Abbey has it’s own website which I wish I had found before my visit. It has everything you need to know about the history and current world of the Benedictine Abbey and even a series of meditations if you are so inclined. https://www.abtei-st-hildegard.de/english/
When I checked with our concierge about how to get there, he strongly suggested I take a taxi, as the path to the Abbey was all uphill and it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside. I was glad that I took his advice as the Rambler would have been a sweaty mess by the time she got to the top. I quickly learned that Eibingen Abbey is a popular stop for pilgrim groups. A hardy group of hikers equipped with staffs and sturdy shoes, were heading towards the abbey on a hilly vineyard path as I arrived in my taxi.
One word of advice for anyone who wants to visit the Abbey. If you take a taxi there, please ask the driver to return to pick you up, in perhaps an hour. Most of the people at the Abbey do not speak English and can’t help you. Uber may work, but i didn’t have the app at the time. Check Uber out before you leave or you may have a long walk back to your ship. On the positive side, you won’t get lost, just head downhill towards the river!
So why did I want to visit Hildegard’s Abbey? Hildegard was born in 1198, and died at 81, although she suffered from ill health all her life. her wealthy parents dedicated her to God as they probably thought she wouldn’t do much or live long. They were so wrong. Hildegard lived to inspire countless generations with her visions, her writing, her medical expertise, her espousal of correct eating, her music and her leadership. She dealt with saints and sinners during her long life. Although not canonized until recently, many have asked her intercession and she was recently declared a Doctor of the (Catholic) Church. When Benedict XV visited Eibingen and talked to the Benedictines about St. Hildegard, they responded that she had never been formally recognized as a saint despite her obvious sanctity. Benedict was quick to remedy this oversight and how she is formally St. Hildegard of Bingen.
The current Abbey was built towards the end of the 19th century when the nuns returned to Bingen. Most Americans are unaware that Germany was secularized at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. Religious were forced to leave and the land was sold. The nobleman who bought the land let the historic Abbey become a ruin. Thus the church and complex was rebuilt when the Benedictine sisters returned. There is a detailed description of this period on their website. as well as photographs.
My first stop at the Abbey was its imposing church. Its design must have pleased Hildegard as it is beautiful in its simplicity. A steady stream of pilgrims entered to kneel and pray during my visit. While I was there, I heard the sound of an organ, and thought, how nice to have music, thinking it was a recording. Then I noticed a few of the pilgrims moving to the front of the church and looking up to to the right There one of the Benedictines was playing the organ. It was a special moment.
My next stop was the shop where the nuns sold their wines, crafts and whole grain foods for the diet that was first developed by Hildegard. She was an early proponent of a largely vegetarian diet which featured whole grains. Her thousand year old concept of eating to live is similar to those championed by vegetarians, vegans and diets which suggest eating a modest amount of animal protein and lots of vegetables. The most unlikely aspect of the shop was that often Benedictine nuns staff the wine tasting table in the store. That day, the tasting host was a lay person but a charming nun manned the cash register.
I then went outside to enjoy the beautiful view high above the Rhine but realized it was getting late and it was time to get a taxi back t o the ship. The Abbey has a little cafe which sells modest meals and drinks. I though surely someone there would be able to call a taxi. However, i got no response from the handsome young man behind the counter. A smiling older woman came to his aid. She gently explained that Patrick spoke little and understood no English. In fact the cafe was staffed by people with a variety of handicaps. She then told me that Patrick would love to have his picture taken, and so the photo you see below is a poignant remembrance of my visit and the kindness of the people who work and live at the Abbey. She then called a taxi for me and I got back to the River Queen with time to spare.
I was so glad I visited the Abbey that beautiful day and recommend it heartily. Even if you are not religious, you will find it a place of peace, love and understanding.
On to Speyer!