The monastic community Wienhausen
The joint municipality Flotwedel comprises the communities of Wienhausen, Langlingen, Eicklingen and Broeckel with a total of about 11,000 inhabitants. The coat of arms of the joint municipality features a mill wheel between two waves. The waves symbolize the position between the rivers Aller and Fuhse. The wheel cross stands for the four communities and the 18 wheel blades for the formerly independent districts. The name "Flotwedel" or previously "Flutwide", "Vludweddel" and "Flauderwell" stem in all likelihood from the German terms "gefluteter Wald", meaning "flooded forest", or "Wasserwald", meaning "water forest".
Manor houses and peaceful villages, as well as a varied landscape of forests, fields and meadows tempt to outings in this area.
Wienhausen
The cloister community of Wienhausen is situated south-east of Celle and was first mentioned in a document as Huginhusen in 1051. Wienhausen is the county town of the joint municipality Flotwedel.
Wienhausen comprises the districts Bockelskamp with Flackenhorst, Offensen with Schwachhausen, Oppershausen and Nordburg.
Cloister Wienhausen
In Wienhausen you can find the former Cistercian cloister, a gem of North German redbrick Gothic and of half-timbered building art of great significance . It was founded by the duchess Agnes around 1230 and is today probably the best-known of the six cloisters on Lueneburg Heath.
The bishop of Hildesheim and local sovereigns equipped the convent with numerous goods. These and other donations enabled Cloister Wienhausen to build the magnificent and fully-painted nuns' choir which stuns visitors to this day with its stepped gables.
Besides numerous medieval artworks, the world´s oldest, partly complete spectacles, rivet-glasses of the 14 century, the chests and cabinets, it is the embroidered Gothic tapestries that fascinate visitors every year when they are competently explained during the so-called “Tapestry Week”, traditionally starting on the Saturday after Pentecost and open to visitors until the end of the season (with audio guides).
The summer refectory of the cloister, which fortunately was restorable using existing Gothic elements, opens its doors for readings, concerts and other cultural events on a regular basis.
You can go on a guided tour nearly every day where you will be shown and explained the inside of the monastery. Please find more information on the website of the cloister or directly in our tourist office.
A visit to the cloister and a walk through the adjacent park with its ancient oak trees is definitely worthwhile.
Worth a visit
Spend some time in the historic village center of Wienhausen and see all the different sites and discover some interesting treasures. Apart from the cloister, it is especially the
Marienkirche (St Mary's church), the bell tower, the old town hall – formerly a watermill – the wedding house and the Blasek oak that enchant visitors.
In Oppershausen, the Mary Magdalene Chapel and the Vorwerk Manor Oppershausen, one of the oldest two-post farmhouses in Lueneburg Heath that are well worth a visit.
Allow our guides to give you a better understanding of the town during the
exciting and detailed 90 minutes guided walk “1000 steps through Wienhausen.
Learn some incredible facts about the era of the Dukes of Braunschweig and
Lueneburg. You can find more information and dates here with us and on the
website of the Wienhausen tourist office.
Nature lovers also get their money´s worth around Wienhausen. The landscape is characterised by sweeping meadows and fields, thick forests and the lush, green riverbanks of the Aller. Many stork pairs look for food here every year and, with a bit of luck, you might even get to watch cranes and herons. The River Aller winds its way gently through the region of Celle and through the town Celle itself.
Leisure time
We offer our guests a mix of recreational, cultural and active holidays. For this we provide a diverse range of leisure activities. Paddling, canoeing and fishing are particularly interesting for our “river-experience” guests.
Go on a pilgrimage on the Jakobusweg (Way of St. James), cycle on the Aller cycle path or choose some bicycle tours in the surrounding area. (Cycling, horse riding or hiking routes can be found under www.region-celle-navigator.de, also as a pdf or to download for GPS).
Carriage rides are possible with our private providers after an advanced booking. These are especially in demand for weddings in the Wedding House.
In Oppershausen you can go gliding, swimming and relaxing at the lido in Langlingen.
Events
Selected flea markets and craft fairs held in the Findelhof in Bockelskamp as well as the well-known Easter and Christmas markets around the former town hall invite you to stroll and browse. The Easter market takes place two weeks before Easter, the Christmas market on the weekend of the second Sunday of Advent from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the historical village center of Wienhausen.
During FlotArt - a festival of art and design – the inhabitants of Flotwedel open their homes and houses to different artists for art and culture exhibitions. Accompanied by a colorful support program consisting of concerts, poetry slams, readings, theatre productions and much more, visitors are given an opportunity to experience art at close quarters. Up to 250 artists in up to 30 art rooms are happy to let you look over their shoulders. Whether by foot, bike or inline skates – the paths to art are manifold.
Those who wish to take it a little slower can find exclusive concerts and readings in the Cistercian cloister in Wienhausen, as well as concerts, readings and cinema evenings in
"Antikhof Drei Eichen" in Broeckel. Rock music fans, on the other hand, get their money's worth every year at the “Bockpalast” in Bockelskamp.
Gastronomy
Your culinary well-being is also catered for. Visit our quaint restaurants (regional cuisine) like the Klosterwirt, Braugasthaus Mühlengrund with the world's smallest mobile brewery, the Restaurant zum Gutshof and Rodizio in Oppershausen or Schneiders Landhaus in Eicklingen. Make a little detour to the Kloster Kaffee (cloister café) or to the café and wine bar at Cloister Wienhausen.
Accommodation
We offer all types of accommodation in Wienhausen: hotels, guest houses, apartments, and holiday homes are available for you upon request. Die Tourist Information Office Wienhausen will be happy to advise you and help you plan your holiday!
We look forward to your visit and to welcoming you in the municipality of Wienhausen!