Weşandin: 20.08.2023
Today (Sunday, 20.08.2023) we went to Warendorf...
Mariä Himmelfahrt is the traditional Warendorf town festival since 1752 and always takes place on the weekend after August 15th. Here, the Christian tradition of honoring Mary, the Citizen's Shooting Festival, and the Mariä Himmelfahrt funfair come together in a unique way. The highlights of the popular Mary worship are the procession and the ceremonial illumination of the nine illuminated Mary arches, which are erected year after year by the arch communities. After nightfall, thousands of people pilgrimage through the streets of the illuminated city center and enjoy the unique atmosphere of light shows, art decorations, devotion, and entertainment. The highlight of the festival are the nine Mary arches, which are set up in the city center. Eight arch communities take care of the construction and dismantling of the nine arches as well as their maintenance on a voluntary basis.
If you want to learn more: https://bogengemeinschaften.de and https://maria-himmelfahrt-warendorf.de
Even when it's not dark, the arches are very impressive and beautifully decorated with flowers. The whole old town is adorned with flags, garlands, and lanterns. I have never seen this tradition anywhere else. Especially on Saturday evening, there is a lot of celebration. The old town of Warendorf is already worth seeing and always worth a visit, but on Mariä Himmelfahrt it's even more special!