Berthelsdorf Church (Evangelisch Lutherische Kirchgemeinde Berthelsdorf und Herrnhut), Schulstraße 27 (in the adjoining village of Berthelsdorf, about 1.3km from the centre of Herrnhut, and next to Count Zinzendorf's Manor House - see below), ☎ +49 (0)35873-2536 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-33745), . The church may be of interest to religious pilgrims as it is the location where the Moravians gathered for a communion service in 1727 and experienced an intense spiritual awakening. Out of this episode emerged a religious revival that featured a 24/7 prayer meeting which lasted over 100 years - or 120 years according to some accounts - and was also the impetus for the first Protestant missionary movement, launched with an initial effort to the West Indies in 1732. �
Count Zinzendorf's Grave, Gottesackerallee (in the cemetery known as Gottesacker, or 'God's Acre', situated on the western slope of Hutberg Hill, between the villages of Herrnhut and Berthelsdorf). In the cemetery, towards the higher end up the slope, there is a row of eight large stone graves located in the middle of the pathway in which Count Zinzendorf and close family members are interred. Count Zinzendorf's grave is the fourth one from the left, going up the slope. The grave of Zinzendorf's wife, Erdmuth Dorothea (1700-1756), is next to his as the fifth from the left. Reflecting Moravian asceticism and strong belief in equality, the graves of the Count and his family are simple plain slab stones-- they were initially ground level like all the other graves and were only lifted on pedestals later on. The graveyard also features the lookout tower (Altan) on the hill's summit. The lookout tower is often open but if the door to the stairwell that leads to the lookout area is locked one can gain access by enquiring at the tourist bureau. If you appreciate spectacular views of rolling green hills and country vistas, it is definitely worth heading to the loookout area armed with a camera. �
Count Zinzendorf's Manor House (Zinzendorfschloss), Schulstraße 27 (in the adjoining village of Berthelsdorf, about 1.3km from the centre of Herrnhut), ☎ +49 (0)35873-2536 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-33745), . Originally a plain framework building, it was rebuilt in in the late 18th century in a new architectural style eventually dubbed Moravian Baroque (Herrnhuter Barocks), which is characterised by clarity and simplicity. The Nazi government forced the Moravians to sell the property to the state on unfavourable terms just prior to the Second World War but it was returned to the church by the Soviet army soon after the conflict. However, it was again appropriated within a few years, this time by the new communist regime, and left to languish for decades, during which time it fell into a state of disrepair. The property was acquired by a non-profit heritage group after reunification, which launched a reconstruction effort that began to see the property's restoration. The project is ongoing. �
Moravian Church Archives (Unitätsarchiv), Zittauer Straße 24, ☎ +49 (0)35873-48731 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-48766), . Mon-Fri 9AM-4:30PM. The Herrnhuter Brüdergemeine operates the archives for the worldwide Moravian movement. Housed in the oldest archive house in Saxony, founded in 1764, it features a library of all publications of the Moravian Church and of Moravian authors, including letters, mission reports, memoirs, and congregation diaries. The archive also features a music collection, paintings and family archives of the Zinzendorf family. Archive collections are available for research. �
Moravian Church Hall (Kirchensaal der Brüdergemeine), Comeniusstraße 3, ☎ +49 (0)35873-33604 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-33606), . The original building was constructed in 1756. In May 1945, the first church was burnt down by Red Army soldiers in a wave of looting and destruction that destroyed much of the old Herrnhut, but the community was able to rally together and build the current church in the 1950s (the walls survived the war carnage with the rest of the structure needing to be replaced/reconstructed). The building's architecture is typical for Herrnhuter prayer halls all around the world: The ground plan is a transverse rectangle and the building itself is plain - there is no steeple but, instead, a small bell tower in the middle of the roof. The interior is even plainer, all painted in white. There is neither pulpit nor altar, only a seat and a table for the preacher. There is a small museum on the second floor featuring various items connected to Count Zinzendorf (e.g. his prayer book, correspondence with the famous English revivalist John Wesley, etc), although the text for the displays is in German only. The back entrance to the church is supposed to be open in the daytime. In case it is not and you are there during office hours, ask nicely at the office of the chairman (Vorsteher), which is in the yellow house on the other side of the street, and you will be admitted. Outside the church is a small garden featuring a bust of Count Zinzendorf and a wall with a bell atop it. The original church featured three bells which were confiscated by Nazi authorities in the war when metal was scarce. Two of the bells were melted down but the third survived and was returned to the Moravians. As such, it is the only surviving element of the original church building (along with the church walls). �
Moravian Star Factory Showroom (Schauwerkstatt der Herrnhuter Sterne GmbH), Oderwitzer Straße 8, ☎ +49 (0)35873-36432 (), . Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-5PM (in Advent, Sat 10AM-6PM, Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve 8AM-Noon), Sun/Public Holidays Closed. The Moravian (Advent) Star (Herrnhuter Adventsstern), was created at a school in Niesky, Saxony, in the 1830s, probably as a project for a geometry lesson. Eventually, it was adopted by the Moravians as a symbol of Advent. In the late 19th century, Peter Verbeek, an alumnus of the school in Niesky, began selling the stars through his bookstore - his son Harry went on to found the Moravian Star Company in Herrnhut and ultimately it became part of the Moravian-run Abraham Dürninger company. Visit the factory showroom and see how the stars are made. You can purchase stars at the company store (see below). The showroom also contains a café so you can quench your thirst or satisfy your appetite after checking out the workers plying their trade. �
Museum of Ethnology (Völkerkundemuseum), Goethestraße 1, ☎ +49 (0)35873-2403 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-2403), . Tues-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat/Sun/holidays 9AM-12PM and 1:30PM-5PM. Perhaps the most interesting museum, although the one that has the least to do with the actual town’s local history, it features a variety of artifacts brought back to the town by Moravian missionaries over the past 200 years from such diverse locations as Australia, Africa and Canada. The museum is currently closed for extensive renovation but is due to re-open mid-October 2011.Adults €2, children 16 or under €1. �
Museum of Local History (Heimatmuseum), Comeniusstraße 6, ☎ +49 (0)35873-30733 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-30734), . Tues-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat/Sun/Holidays 10AM-12PM and 1PM-5PM. Located in a large baroque house that once belonged to a local wealthy family. The museum features rooms containing original antique furnishings (e.g. Biedermeier furniture, handmade tapestries, handcrafts) that show the lifestyle of a well-off Saxon family in the 18th/19th centuries. Additionally, other items/displays, such as antique toys and musical instruments, relate further aspects of the town's rich history. There is also a nice baroque garden at the rear of the museum. �
Water Castle (Wasserschloss), Untere Dorfstraße 56 (in the adjoining village of Ruppersdorf, about 2.5km from the centre of Herrnhut), ☎ +49 (0)35873-36166 (, fax: +49 (0)35873-36165). Mon-Fri 9:30AM-4PM. Large country manor that, like Medieval castles of old, was once surrounded by a moat – hence the manor’s name. The current building was built over the ruins of an earlier one that burnt down in 1687. It was owned by a noble family before being sold to the state in 1930. After the war, it was used by the German Red Cross as a children’s home. In 2005, it was purchased by Youth With a Mission (Jugend mit Einer Mission), a missions organisation, and is now their community/training base. Part of the reason the group chose to locate in the area was specifically to continue in the tradition established by the Moravians. Visitors are welcome and tours of the building can be arranged. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Herrnhut
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Herrnhut Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
