Stars

Reference to the paths of the pilgrims of St. James as the “Starry Path”.

The stars can be found to welcome the pilgrims in the bands of field stones at the entrances to the village, each on the right side. Star motifs, which can be discovered in work stones or wall paintings of various cultural monuments in the region, served as models. The medieval symbolism of the star is manifold: Like the sun and the moon, they are associated with the heavenly spheres as well as with the Mother of God, “Maria Stella”, and the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. It is difficult to determine the meaning of the respective star symbols in detail and is left to the imagination of the pilgrim or walker.

The “star stones” recreated in the place-entry bands accompany the Way of St. James in each case in a symbolic spell circle to the place of origin of the original medieval star motif, e.g. the “Hornbach Star” can be seen on the Saarland | South route as far as Herbitzheim and on the Saarland | North route as far as Hengstbach. Almost all “stars” are based on variations of a construction principle of medieval building geometry. Under the guidance of a stone sculptor, each of these selected stars was carved in fieldstone based on the medieval models.

A star is created
Auersmacher star field
Blieskastel star field
Medelsheim star field
Saarbrücken Milky Way

As an exception, the entrance to Medelsheim is decorated with a relief of stars. In total, about 200 individual stars carved in stone were created by the participants of the project. On the southern route near Auersmacher and on the northern route before Blieskastel, the stone stars each form an entire star field, a campus stellae. Another exception is found on the so-called “Ghost Bridge”which leads over the northern route of the Jakobswege to Saarbrücken-St. Arnual to the collegiate church. Here, hand-painted stars trace the Milky Way/Voie Lacteé across the center segment of the bridge. All star ornaments are marked by a yellow star in the interactive map.

The respective cross-border bands also have the star of the adjacent Lorraine Hombourg-Haut on the left side, they say “Bienvenue”.

To the interactive map

The “star stones” reproduced in the place entrance bands accompany the Way of St. James in each case in a symbolic spell circle to the place of origin of the original medieval star guiding theme