Discover Steyl: the old monastery village on the Maas
Of all the historic villages in the Netherlands, Steyl is an undiscovered pearl. At the end of the 19th century, the German Father Arnold Janssen Steyl decided to realize his great dream here: to found his own monastic order. This development has been the driving force behind all the wealth of monumental heritage that can now be admired in Steyl.
The small village on the Meuse was already charming without the religious influences, but they are now indispensable. What started with a monastery, ended with several monasteries, beautiful monastery gardens, a double church, a botanical garden and a mission museum with a monumental printing house and water tower. Recently, the idyllic village center was given the designation 'protected village view' in order to preserve the historic character of the village. Steyl is not only very surprising in terms of history and monumental heritage, you can also experience everything there today.
Sights in Steyl: what to see?
To get a picture of the old village, it is nice to start in the historic village center, which is protected by the government for a reason. If you want to dive straight into the religious heritage, the Sacred Heart Monastery with its long driveway and gardens is very impressive. Although the monastery itself cannot be visited, taking a look at the whole is highly recommended.
In the Kloosterstraat you will find the more stately Heilige Geest monastery, which can only be admired from the outside. Would you rather have a look inside? Then visit the St. Michael's Church or the double church. Two churches have been built here on top of each other, of which the more sober lower church can be visited almost daily. The richly decorated upper church can be visited every Sunday afternoon from May to September or on request.
Activities in Steyl: what is there to do?
Enough looking, now you are going to experience something in Steyl! Do not expect exciting activities, but rather places of reflection, peace and deepening. This is perfectly possible, for example, in the monastery gardens, such as that of St. Michael. Many trees grow in these ancient gardens, you will find places of worship and there are even some caves.
Do you want to get away from the churches and monasteries, but stay in peace? Then visit the Botanical Garden Jochumhof. This place has a special history that goes back to 1799. Through the missionary work of the brothers and sisters, all kinds of exotic seeds ended up in Steyl. The result can still be admired today in the beautiful gardens full of surprising trees and plants.
During a visit to the Mission Museum, everything comes together: the religious past of Steyl and the wonders of nature from all over the world, which found their place in this Limburg monastic village. You really shouldn't miss this place, because wonderment predominates here. When was the last time you saw more than 1,500 stuffed animals? The way of presenting in man-sized glass display cases is exactly as it was then: a unique experience!
In and around Steyl
A monastery village on the Maas. With such a beautiful location, it is nice to fully absorb this soothing environment. To do this, walk the 'Meuse and Stuw route' walk. This 10-kilometer walk not only takes you past beautiful spots in Steyl, but also along the Meuse, Château de Holtmühle and the village center of Belfeld. Want to know more?
Read here all information about monastery village Steyl.