ViaJacobi
Overview
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Distance 26 km
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Duration 6 h 50 min
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Ascent 800 m
Intro
Rorschach, medieval traffic hub and lake port of St. Gallen, is mentioned as a pilgrimage station around the year 1300. Highlights of the hike to Herisau: visit to the Stift Library in St. Gallen and the bridge landscape in Bruggen.
Description
The hike has a lot to offer: the lakeside promenade in Rorschach, the cathedral and the Abbey Library in St. Gallen, the bridge architecture around Bruggen or the lovely old town of Herisau. The multifaceted hike from Rorschach to Herisau takes just under seven hours and starts on the lakeshore.
Between the rolling hills of the Appenzellerland and the expanse of Lake Constance lies the pretty St. Gallen harbour town of Rorschach. In the Middle Ages, it developed into the most important trading centre on the southern lakeshore. The lively town centre, the stately homes and the Kornhaus (granary), built in 1749, still bear witness to this history.
From the lakeside promenade, neighbourhood streets lead through the middle of town. Outside the settlement area, you reach Sulzberg Castle. A little above the castle pond, the route continues to Untereggen. About an hour and a half later, you get to the village, and soon after, to the Martinstobel, crossed by the Martinsbrücke bridge. After about four hours, you arrive at St. Gallen.
111 ornate oriel windows embellish the facades of the houses in the old town. They are a common sight in Spisergasse, Marktgasse, Kugelgasse and Schmiedgass. However, St. Gallen's true landmarks are the baroque cathedral and the monastery library. 140,000 documents, some handwritten and over a thousand years old, are kept in the magnificent rococo hall, among other places. The entire abbey district has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
Following the city centre, the route continues to Bruggen. Since St. Gallen lies between deep valleys and gorges, it is surrounded by numerous bridges. The stately Chräzeren road bridge from 1807 provided a link to Winterthur and Zurich. Its two arches made of molasse sandstone with a span of 26.40 metres are impressive.
Continue on your way past the bathing area of Gübsensee lake and through a short section of forest to quickly reach the first buildings of Herisau. After another hour of hiking, the route ends in the centre of Herisau. Although the town first developed under the influence of the monastery of St. Gallen, it later became Protestant and was therefore assigned to Appenzell Ausserrhoden in the 16th century.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Rorschach
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Herisau
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
800 m
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| Descent |
420 m
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| Distance |
26 km
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| Duration |
6 h 50 min
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| Duration back |
6 h 30 min
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Season |
All year
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Quick Facts
Route number
