The Ephrata Cloister
Jan 6
2010
The beautiful saal from behind
On a whim, Dave and I decided to visit Lancaster, PA this past weekend. We usually go away overnight during the first weekend of January, and we were happy to continue the tradition this year!
We visited the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre to catch an amazing production of Nunsense the first night. The experience was so incredible–and the show was absolutely of Broadway quality. It was amazing, and I would highly recommend a visit to anyone looking for an overnight retreat in the eastern half of the US!
The next day, we stopped by Denny’s for breakfast (our first visit–not bad, really, but definitely an artery clogging establishment). Then, we perused the Tanger Outlets in Lancaster and found a ton of great buys. It was excellent! Before heading home, we took a scenic drive through the hills of Amish Country and soaked in the beauty of the landscape. It was breathtaking. I think everyone should try it once in their life.
On our way home, we stopped at a fantastic place–the Ephrata Cloister. (This weekend certainly did seem to have a nun theme, right?) Though the cloister was neither Catholic nor restricted to women, it was a marvel to behold. Founded in the early 1700s by Conrad Beissel, the cloister was a center of strict religious observation and celibacy through the 1800s.
The buildings on the grounds are all in their original locations, though they have been restored and updated for modern times. You can stroll through the cemetery and stop by the creek where baptisms were performed. In the old saal (pronounced: “zh-all”), you can practically hear the cloister’s choir singing. Fortunately, a group still sings the elegant music of the cloister and you can even purchase a CD of selections entitled, “Anticipating Paradise.” It’s worth the $15 you’ll pay at the museum; I’ve been listening to it in my car nonstop ever since!
I’ll share some photos of our visit later today!
Have you visited the Lancaster area? What did you think of the Ephrata Cloister? Share with a comment below!
Tags: outdoors, Pennsylvania, Weekending
Alex is a 23-year old writer, photographer, marketing strategist and organizer who lives in Metuchen, NJ. He loves writing (of course!), art, cooking, designing, French films, and spending chilly autumn evenings sipping sweet wine by candlelight. 
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