Ephrata Cloister, Pennsylvania, United States
4.5 (366 reviews) Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #1 in Lancaster County Speciality Museums • Historic Sites
A Tranquil Transport Back in Time
One of America's earliest religious communities, the Historic Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 by German settlers seeking spiritual goals rather than earthly rewards. Gathered in unique European style buildings, the community consisted of celibate Brothers and Sisters, and a married congregation of families.At the zenith of the community in the 1740s and 1750s, about 300 members worked and worshiped at the Cloister. This National Historic Landmark is open for Self-Guided Tours on Wednesday afternoons and Guided Tours Thursday through Sunday.
Address
632 W Main St at the intersection of Rt. 272 and Rt. 322, Ephrata, PA 17522-1717
Mobile
Website
http://www.ephratacloister.org
Working hours
Monday :
Tuesday :
Wednesday : 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Thursday : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday : 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 19:57
User Ratings
4.5 based on (366 reviews)
Reviews
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4Kate Illinois1 5:00 PM Oct 3, 2022
Built without blueprints but craftmanship to last over 200 years
Our tour started with a short film to give the viewer background on Beissel and devotees spiritual life and preparing the the Second Coming. By 1750, there were 80 celibate brothers and sisters residing here. The buildings are in a triangular formation with Beissel's house positioned with clear view of the brother's house, sister's houses and Mount Zion building. The guided tour allows you to entrance to Sister's house and meeting house. Our male guide was very good at bringing you back to the 1700s to vision life then. You may also do a self guided tour- each building has a code to scan and listen to audio tour. Restrooms at visitor's center. Ample parking and room for RVs.
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5John K 5:00 PM Jul 16, 2022
VERY Educational Experience!
We have wanted to visit the Cloister for a while to learn more about the history behind it, and even though it took a few years to get around to it, I'm so glad we finally got there. With the price of admission, one could be part of a tour group with a guide who knows a great deal about the history of the area and those who lived there. The tour lasted all of an hour, and then you can roam the complex to visit the other buildings and learn more with a self-guided audio on your phone! You can take as little or long as you want. There's so much I'd love to tell about the place, but I want to leave it for you travelers. Before leaving, you could visit the gift shop, which offers items I didn't expect to be interested in. I was surprised when we walked out with a handful of stuff!. Lots of great choices.
