Heritage Tours

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This European heritage tour traces the Anabaptist/Mennonite story through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. Visits to significant sites will bring to life the stories of Jakob Amman, Martin Luther, Michael Sattler, Pilgram Marpeck, and many other Reformation and Anabaptist leaders. Other tour highlights include: an afternoon cruise on the Rhine River, a visit to the Rijksmuseum, standing in caves where Anabaptists worshipped in secret, visiting Trachselwald Castle, riding a cable-car up a mountain, and visiting the Weierhof, a semi-communal Mennonite village. Experienced tour storyteller Ayold Fanoy will share insights as you travel in these beautiful countries that were so important to our Anabaptist ancestors.

THIS IS A CUSTOM PROGRAM. Registration by invitation only.

Trace your family and faith story through the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland! Begin in Amsterdam with a visit to the famous Keukenhof gardens, a leisurely cruise along Amserdam’s canals, and free time in a traditional Dutch village. Connect to the Anabaptist story in the Netherlands with visits to Singel Mennonite Church, Asperen, Witmarsum, and Pingjum. In Münster, see the cages where the bodies of Anabaptist leaders were once displayed—the cages which still hang from the St. Lamberti Church tower today. Relish a cruise along the majestic Rhine River. Browse Mennonite archives in the Weierhof. Learn about Pilgram Marpeck’s story while enjoying the picturesque charm of Strasbourg. Immerse yourself in the captivating landscapes of the Emmental and visit homesteads, churches, and castles connected to the Swiss Anabaptists. Ascend Schilthorn Mountain for breathtaking views and uncover the origins of the Anabaptist movement on a Zürich walking tour. Conclude the tour with a meaningful time of worship and reflection in the most unique setting: the Anabaptist Cave at Bäretswil, where Anabaptists once worshipped in secret. 

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THIS IS A CUSTOM PROGRAM. Registration by invitation only.
Explore Anabaptist beginnings on a European tour with staff, alumni, and friends of Conrad Grebel University College. Alongside our faculty experts Troy Osborne and David Neufeld, follow this story from the Netherlands through Germany, France, and Switzerland, at the places where the events of greatest significance to this tradition occurred. Enrich your understanding of this history by visiting the Dutch village of Zaanse Schans, mounting the Swiss Alps in a cable car, and reflecting in a cave where Anabaptists once worshipped in secret. Engage great works of European art and culture at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and Strasbourg’s cathedral. Finally, connect past to present by joining Anabaptists from around the world at a 500th-anniversary commemoration of the first adult baptisms in Zurich organized by Mennonite World Conference.

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THIS IS A CUSTOM PROGRAM. Registration by invitation only.
Explore Anabaptist beginnings on a European tour with faculty, alumni, and friends of Eastern Mennonite University. Seize the unique opportunity to visit Anabaptist sites in Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and the Netherlands with a special emphasis on how women and peasants shaped the Anabaptist movement. See the house outside of Vienna where an Anabaptist woman was chained to her kitchen to keep her from preaching in the streets. Have coffee in an Anabaptist noblewoman’s castle in Kitzbühel. Visit the magisterial center of Tirol where Anabaptist women who were unable to escape Habsburg jailers were held and questioned. Tie these stories in with those of other significant Anabaptist figures and sites as you visit the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) where Jakob Hutter was burned, Conrad Grebel’s house, Felix Manz’s mother’s house, a cave where Anabaptists worshipped in secret, and much more. Along the way, take in some of Europe’s finest cultural landmarks like Vienna’s Ringstrasse or the towering Baroque-style Melk Abbey. The main portion of the tour ends in Zürich, where Anabaptists from all over the world will join together to celebrate 500 years of Anabaptism. On an optional tour extension, make your way up to the Netherlands to see Menno Simmons’ sites in Friesland, with stops in Strasbourg and Munster on the way. We end in Amsterdam and Haarlem where we will contrast radical, militant Anabaptists with their respectable bourgeois descendants. Historians Mary Sprunger and Kimberly Schmidt will lead with historical expertise and extensive personal travel experience.

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On this commemorative Anabaptist heritage tour in Europe, visit significant sites that will bring to life the stories of Menno Simons, Jacob Hutter, Pilgram Marpeck, Dirk Willems, Jakob Amman, and other important Anabaptist leaders. See the historic Dutch village of Zaanse Schans, take a cable car up Stockhorn mountain, reflect in a cave where Anabaptists worshipped in secret, and stay in the homes of hospitable locals in Menno Simons’ hometown, Witmarsum. Along the way, experience the cultural richness that the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria have to offer. Connect past to present by joining Anabaptists from around the world at a 500th anniversary celebration of the first adult baptisms in Zürich, organized by Mennonite World Conference. Experienced tour leader and former Hesston College Professor John Sharp will guide you on this journey of discovery and fellowship.

LIMITED SPACE – 1 SPOT REMAINING

This European heritage tour traces the Anabaptist/Mennonite story through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. Visits to significant sites will bring to life the stories of Jakob Amman, Martin Luther, Michael Sattler, Pilgram Marpeck, and many other Reformation and Anabaptist leaders. Other tour highlights include an afternoon cruise on the Rhine River, watching traditional Dutch windmills, standing in caves where Anabaptists worshipped in secret, riding a cable car up a mountain, and visiting the Weierhof, a semi-communal Mennonite village. Unique to this year is the 500th-anniversary celebration of the first adult baptisms in Zürich. Connect past to present by joining Anabaptists from around the world at a commemorative all-day event organized by Mennonite World Conference. Experienced tour storyteller Ayold Fanoy will share insights as you travel in these beautiful countries that were so important to our Anabaptist ancestors.

SOLD OUT

On this commemorative Anabaptist heritage tour in Europe, visit significant sites that will bring to life the stories of Menno Simons, Pilgram Marpeck, Dirk Willems, Jakob Amman, and other important Anabaptist leaders. Connect past to present by joining Anabaptists from around the world at a 500th anniversary celebration of the first adult baptisms in Zürich, organized by Mennonite World Conference. Reflect in a cave where Anabaptists worshipped in secret, take a cable car up Stockhorn mountain, see the historic Dutch village of Zaanse Schans, and stay in the homes of hospitable locals in Menno Simons’ hometown, Witmarsum. Along the way, experience the cultural richness that Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands have to offer. This tour includes a focus on Anabaptist history depicted in Dutch art. For four days in Germany and the Netherlands, Art historian Nina Schroeder will join the group to share her insights on Mennonite artists and their patrons in the Dutch Golden Age. A highlight will be visiting the Rijksmuseum to see the Mennonite collection and Dutch Golden Age works by world-renowned artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer. You will also see portraits of Menno Simons and other Anabaptist leaders, art from the Martyrs Mirror and paintings by Mennonite artists. Mennonite archivist Conrad Stoesz will guide you on this journey of discovery and fellowship. Conrad is passionate about preserving and sharing Mennonite history and archives. He has been the archivist at the Mennonite Heritage Archives since 1999, is on the board of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada, and is the co-editor of Mennonite Historian magazine.

THIS IS A CUSTOM PROGRAM. Registration by invitation only.

Trace your family and faith story through the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland! Begin in Amsterdam with visits to the famous Aalsmeer flower auction and Singel Mennonite Church. Explore historic Dutch villages, hidden Mennonite churches, and an open-air museum. Cruise along the majestic Rhine River. Browse Mennonite archives in the Weierhof, and foster new connections with a local church congregation. Immerse yourself in the captivating landscapes of the Emmental, visit homesteads directly related to your family’s history and enjoy the company of relatives. Ascend Schilthorn Mountain for breathtaking views. Uncover the origins of the Anabaptist movement on a Zürich walking tour. Conclude the tour with a meaningful time of worship and reflection in the most unique setting: the Anabaptist Cave at Bäretswil, where Anabaptists once worshipped in secret. Experienced tour storyteller Ayold Fanoy will share insights as you travel in these beautiful countries that were so important to your Anabaptist ancestors.

In 1880-1881, five wagon trains of Mennonites left European Russia and headed east to Central Asia along the famous Silk Road. Seeking freedom from conscription and new economic opportunities, this group went east instead of west to North America as 18,000 did a decade earlier. In the last decade, new details of the Great Trek have emerged in the remarkable Silk Road cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. Amidst the splendour of the Islamic architecture and often mountainous landscape, the Mennonite Great Trek story will emerge through journals and letters of trekkers, archival documents, and current reflections. Tour leader John Sharp is a retired college history and Bible professor whose passion for and knowledge of the Mennonite Great Trek along the Silk Road will give you valuable insight into this chapter of Mennonite history. John has led several tours to Central Asia and has developed relationships with locals who will give you insight into Uzbek life and culture.

A sneak peek at future tours for next year