Knee-deep in mud: people laugh, fool around and wade through the mud pool to the wash station. They scrub the mud from their skin with brushes before moving on to the water-treading pool of the barefoot trail. The trail leads through a spa park covering 163,000 square metres in Bad Wörishofen. The park is here for a reason: this is the town where pastor Sebastian Kneipp first developed his famous Kneipp therapy. It is still famous for its treatments today, and Kneipp’s spirit remains a tangible presence here.
Kneipp therapist Angela Hofer
Mindfulness as an important element of Kneipp's teaching
Angela Hofer guides her guests to inner balance in the ``KurOase im Kloster`` (spa oasis in the monastery)
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
This is confirmed by Angela Hofer, who accompanies guests at the Hotel “Kuroase im Kloster” through their treatment in her role as a Kneipp therapist. “Here in this building we still have the cloisters where the patients waited to see Kneipp. In the middle of the cloisters there is a garden with a well. This is where the pastor poured his first water – a very historic place.” Like the therapy itself, this original site remains virtually unchanged. The successful recipe formulated by Pastor Kneipp is still in use today: water, herbs, balance, exercise and diet. Based on these five pillars, Kneipp’s home town still offers guests everything they need for rest and recuperation.
Made healthy by nature in Kneipp’s home town
Many large and small hotels in Bad Wörishofen offer Kneipp therapy. The treatments strengthen the organism of the human body and also stimulate self-healing powers. The Kneipp spa therapy is based around treading water, arm baths, washing, facial affusion and massages. Guests receive the first applications early in the morning while they are still in bed. For example, a small hay sack heated overnight helps with neck and backache.
Water, herbs, balance, exercise and diet: Bad Wörishofen is the perfect source of the five pillars of the Kneipp therapy – not least through its many herb gardens and herb walking tours. Back in the 19th century, Kneipp knew the value of the wild herbs that grow here in the lush meadows. Healing herbs for poultices or as bath supplements – he later built this knowledge into his treatments. And Bad Wörishofen still follows his ideas today: as well as numerous herb gardens in the spa park, the municipality and Angela Hofer herself offer regular herb walking tours through the splendid landscape.
Healing rest for inner balance
The hotel in which the therapist treats her guests is housed in the same building as the Dominican convent. This is the place where Pastor Kneipp served as father confessor in the mid-19th century, and where he developed his healing therapies. Hotel guests take part in prayers, engage in personal conversation with the Sisters or simply enjoy the peace and quiet. Only one thing matters in the building: “I’m here and I plan to relax and enjoy myself”, says Angela Hofer.
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
Guests also find inner peace in the town’s splendid spa park. Divided into various themed gardens, the park is endlessly fascinating – as Angela Hofer explains: “In addition to our herb garden we also have a fragrant garden.” But most of all the 58-year-old likes to relax in the rose garden. “500 different varieties and 6,000 rose bushes – when everything is in flower it’s like being in a dream.”
Exercise and eat well as part of the five pillars
Many nature lovers are enticed out into the impressive countryside around Bad Wörishofen – and into the magnificent woodland along the ten-kilometre forest walking trail. Various stations along the way give visitors pause to reflect. Those looking for a more sporty form of exercise can explore the region by bicycle. After an extensive tour, guests can unwind in one of the many bars or cafés before returning to the hotel in the spa bus. There they can look forward to their next beneficial Kneipp treatment.
Whether guests want to gain strength or alleviate complaints – they are sure to come closer to their objectives in Kneipp’s home town. Here, the whole town embraces modern natural healing methods. The system successfully developed by Sebastian Kneipp more than 150 years ago is still very much in use in Bad Wörishofen: in the hotels, in the convents, in nature – everywhere.
© www.bayern.by - Tobias Gerber
Angela, your tip for…
… the most beautiful places to kneipp?
There are a total of 22 water treading pools and arm baths for Kneipp treatment in the city area of Bad Wörishofen. I have two favourite pools that I recommend to you: One is a natural treading place at the Wörthbach near the Erlöserkirche. Here a railing was simply built into the stream and you are in the middle of nature – I like that very much. The other one is about four kilometres away in Dorschhausen and is called “Kalte Quelle” – and it’s really cold! If you have gone there for a round, you have to get out of the water again, that’s how cold it is. But that is exactly what I find so beautiful.
… an event?
The Festival of Nations is really great. It takes place every year in autumn and lasts a week. Great musicians perform every day. Among them are real top-class musicians like Jonas Kaufmann, David Garrett or Nigel Kennedy. Apart from that there are some jazz concerts like the “Jazz goes to Kur”, which you should not miss.
Contact
KurOase im KlosterKlosterhof 186825 Bad Wörishofen
