A spirit of optimism in Waidhofen: Long Night of the Churches enthusiastic!

A spirit of optimism in Waidhofen: Long Night of the Churches enthusiastic!

On May 23, 2025, the “Long Night of the Churches” took place in the parish church of Waidhofen an der Ybbs. Under the motto "Pilgrims and being on the way", the event offered a varied program that consisted of information, music and contemplative texts. The ensemble Lyra, Matthias Bramauer on the keyboard and the lambert tichor ensured an inspiring musical experience, which was useful to inspire visitors and convey unforgettable impressions. This reports noen.at.

The "Long Night of the Churches" is an initiative that not only attracts local community members, but also tourists and visitors who are interested in cultural and spiritual events. Such events represent an interface between cultural use and religious -related tourism. This is supported by the fact that in the current annual report 2023 of the German Tourism Association, visiting cultural sights is one of the most popular travel activities. Museums, churches and monasteries are hotspots for tourists: inside and offer a platform to learn more about local culture, history and spirituality how [herder.de] (https://www.herder.de/afs/Hefte/2024/7-8-2024/ between-kultur-und-spiritualitaet-challe-und-benzen-kirchlicher-praesenz-im-tourismus.

cultural tourism as a trend

The demand for cultural sights is booming, with 77 percent of Europeans visiting such places on vacation. They want to learn more about the culture and the background of the places visited. The historical root of this lust for discovery can be traced back to the Grand Tour in the 17th and 18th centuries, which was then made primarily by wealthy nobles. This combination of education and leisure has meanwhile developed into modern cultural tourism.

Some churches specifically use this trend of cultural tourism to open their premises to visitors and thus promote dialogue about religion and spirituality. Initiatives such as “reliable doors” make it easy for guests and locals to find access to these spiritual sites and thus represent an important contribution to cultural sensitization. However, church tours that often follow museum educational approaches can also increase distancing from religion. In contrast to the popularity of churches, the persistently high figures for the church exit are as tourist attractions.

spirituality and tourism

PHANDENALLATIONS, such as the "spiritualization of tourism", can integrate religious topics into hiking and pilgrimage paths. This development shows the growing importance of spiritual tourism, which includes trips to religious goals and self -reflection. The Ammergau meditation path is an example of this connection of religious sites with questions of personal spirituality.

For detailed information about the program of the “Long Night of the Churches”, interested parties can visit the Langenachtderkirchen.at.