Reichenau: Monastic Churches, Gardens and Island Views
Accommodation in Reichenau
The monastic island of Reichenau preserves an exceptional ensemble of three medieval churches. Their architecture includes elements from the Carolingian, Ottonian and Salian periods; the ensemble is considered a masterpiece of human creative achievement. For planning your trip, this provides a clear cultural focus that branches out further to include churches, museums and monastic gardens.
File:Kirche St. Georg, Insel Reichenau.jpg
Photo: JoachimKohler-HB via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Churches and Wall Paintings
One notable example is the Church of St. George in Oberzell. It has the only fully and largely preserved ensemble of narrative wall paintings north of the Alps from the period before 1000. Alongside the churches’ architectural layers, this gives you a specific focus on early visual art. The paintings offer a distinct perspective on Reichenau’s heritage, while the church ensemble brings together the Carolingian, Ottonian and Salian periods.
Museum and Monastic Gardens
The MUSEUM REICHENAU presents the monastic island as a cultural landscape. In its three museum units and in the treasury at the Minster of St. Mary and Mark, visitors to the island can discover Reichenau’s outstanding cultural and historical significance. An exploration tour of the island combines visits to various museum stops with tours of historic buildings. The museum experience thus ranges from individual units and the treasury to a tour that also includes historic buildings.
The Monastic Gardens of Reichenau draw on medieval sources on garden culture and reconstruct parts of them. Within the old monastery wall, the so-called “Quiet Precinct” contains the cloister, the hortuli with an herb garden, and the monks’ cemetery with an orchard; parts of the grounds have been archaeologically documented. Herbs and fruit are therefore not the only focus here: the cloister and cemetery are also features of the garden area. This adds another facet of monastic culture to the church art.
Hochwart and Winegrowing
Hochwart is a scenic highlight on the island: at 441 metres above sea level, it is the highest point on Reichenau. From there, sweeping views open up over the Höri peninsula, the Hegau region, Bodanrück, the Wollmatinger Ried nature reserve and the Swiss lakeshore. The view thus shifts from the island’s history to its wider surroundings. Hochwart is accessible via a gravel path without steps; check whether the path is currently usable before your visit.
The “From Winegrowing to Vegetable Growing” guided group tour takes place on foot and lasts around two hours. It introduces the distinctive features and development of wine and vegetable growing on Reichenau and includes a vegetable snack and a wine tasting with three varieties. Alongside architecture and garden topics, the tour offers a distinct perspective on two types of cultivation on the island. As availability and seasonal provision of the snack may vary, check the arrangements in advance.
Highlights for Your Stay
When looking for a holiday apartment on Reichenau, consider which focus you want to shape your stay: churches, the museum and gardens represent cultural history, while Hochwart is all about the landscape. The guided group tour adds an approximately two-hour exploration of wine and vegetable growing.
Discover more destinations: Hohenfels, Engen, Singen, Gailingen Am Hochrhein, Gottmadingen, Orsingen-Nenzingen, Öhningen, Eigeltingen
Go to the main travel overview: Konstanz.
