Get Lost And Explore This 19th-Century Labyrinth Right Here In Indiana
By Tori Jane|Published March 09, 2021
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
When it comes to places of interest in Indiana, it’s easy to overlook lots of different places that are a little out of the ordinary. We encourage visitors and residents alike not to do this, though, and to look far and wide for the most interesting… well, places of interest. We’ve got lots of unique roadside attractions to get your attention, but did you know that we’re also the proud home to a real-life labyrinth? This fascinating and unusual hedge maze was originally a place of worship, meditation, and more erected by the Rappites, an extremely religious sect of German origins, in the early 1800s.
The labyrinth was beautiful, but it was allowed to slip into a state of disarray when the last of the Rappites left the area in the 1800s.
In the 1930s, it was reconstructed into a maze, whereas the original was a true labyrinth with only one way to the center. In 2008, it was remodeled and recreated again, this time sticking to the original path.
The complexity of the labyrinth was seen by the Rappites as a symbol of the complicated thing that is life.
Sometimes, you can easily feel lost and unable to find your way back to your center. However, with a little perseverance (and maybe a hand on the left-hand side of the wall at all times), it can be worked out, and you can find your way through after all.
No matter what time of year you visit, it's a challenging and fun way to spend an afternoon. It's certainly one of the more unique places of interest in Indiana.
Come by yourself or with friends; either way, we're pretty sure you'll enjoy your time here.
We can definitely see why the Rappites saw a labyrinth as a place of peace and respite. We could probably spend days here in the peace and quiet, meditating and asking the universe about our internal struggles.
Even if meditation and questioning the universe aren't your thing, there's no way you won't enjoy a nice, peaceful picnic on the grounds.
It's hard to miss! It's located smack-dab in the middle of New Harmony, on the main street that goes straight through town. The town itself takes pride in its history, and plenty of other old buildings have been preserved for their historic value.
Craving more strange and intriguing places of interest in Indiana? Check out this list of weird Indiana attractions you’ve got to check out!
Have you ever meditated in the great New Harmony labyrinth? Tell us about it in the comments!
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