Maria Rickenbach Monastery

Maria Rickenbach Monastery in Niederrickenbach is a Benedictine convent in a mountain village of the Swiss canton of Nidwalden, within the municipality of Oberdorf. It anchors a pilgrimage site that has drawn visitors for generations, and today it also serves as a quiet starting point for walks above Lake Lucerne.

How do you get to Maria Rickenbach?

The village has no public road access. You ride the aerial cable car from Dallenwil, a trip of roughly eight minutes that ends at about 1,200 m above sea level. Dallenwil sits on the Lucerne–Stans–Engelberg rail line, so the whole journey from Lucerne works by public transport. A private road climbs from the valley, but it is for residents.

What is there to see?

The pilgrimage church and the convent form the heart of the village. Inside the church, many votive pictures left by grateful pilgrims line the walls. Opposite stands the Pilgerhaus, where you can eat and stay overnight. The sisters run a small shop with convent-made goods, and the current brochure also mentions a weaving workshop and a herb garden.

Higher up is the chapel of Maria im Ahorn, "Mary in the Maple". It belongs to a local legend: during the Reformation a shepherd boy hid a statue of the Virgin in a hollow maple tree, and the figure supposedly could not be moved until a chapel was raised on the spot, which began the devotion. This is tradition rather than documented history. In the 19th century, around 15,000 pilgrims are said to have come to Niederrickenbach each year.

When and how was the convent founded?

The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland dates the founding of the Benedictine community to 1857-1863, first as a devotional convent. It was started by two sisters who had left the Baldegg sisterhood in 1853, and the pilgrimage site became the permanent home in 1857. The abbot of Engelberg acts as visitator, and the patrons are Saints Benedict and Scholastica. In 1975 the convent joined the Swiss federation of Benedictine sisters' houses. Tourist sources give 1864 as the year the convent building went up, north of the chapel.

What can you do nearby?

Niederrickenbach works well as a hiking base. A popular route runs via Bärenfallen to Klewenalp, about 7 km and under two and a half hours on foot from roughly 1,156 m. A loop over the Musenalp plateau brings you back to the village. The longer tour from Haldigrat up the Brisen and down to Klewenalp includes T3 sections and needs sure footing. In winter the area is used for snowshoeing.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive to the monastery? No. The village is reached by the cable car from Dallenwil, and the valley road is private.

Can you eat and sleep in Niederrickenbach? Yes. The Pilgerhaus opposite the church offers meals and rooms.

Is the monastery open like a museum? You can enter the pilgrimage church and see the votive pictures. The sisters live and pray here daily, so keep quiet and respect service times.

How long should you plan? The village itself takes one or two hours. Add a hike to Klewenalp or Musenalp and it becomes a full day.