Affiliation
The Dialoghotel Eckstein is supported by the “Focolare Movement Switzerland”. It was created as one of the meeting and educational centres of the international Focolare Movement.
Such centres can be found on all continents, each with its own local characteristics. Within the Focolare Movement they are also often called “Mariapoli Centres”. The following centres are in the three German speaking countries of Europe – Germany, Austria, Switzerland:
Centre de Rencontre et de Formation focolari, Montet FR (Switzerland)
dialog.hotel.wien Am Spiegeln (Vienna, Austria)
Tagungshaus Begegnungszentrum Ottmaring (Bavaria, Germany)
Begegnungszentrum Zwochau (Saxony, Germany)
Zentrum Frieden, Solingen (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
The Focolare Movement
The movement started in Italy during the Second World War. The internationally active Focolare Movement is one of the recognized new spiritual awakenings that have emerged from the Christian churches. Its aim is to bring the spirit of fraternity and unity more strongly into churches and society, into all areas of human life. To this end, it is embarking on a path of dialogue: within its own Church, among the Churches, with the representatives of other religions and also with people who profess no religion.
Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, has received numerous awards for the movement’s work throughout the world, including the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in 1996 and the Human Rights Prize of the Council of Europe in 1998.
HISTORY OF THE BUILDING COMPLEX AT THE BAARER LANGGASSE
The house of the spinning mill employees
From a girls’ home- to an educational centre- to today’s hotel – a brief review of the history of our building complex.
Until 1974 the building served as a girls’ home for the workers of the spinning mill at the Lorze. After being empty for two years, it was acquired in 1976 thanks to the generous support of the members and friends of the Focolare Movement and was then modified and renovated in several stages (1997/98, 2005, 2018 and 2020).
The ecumenical inauguration and opening of the Centre took place on 6 September 1978, with Bishop Anton Hänggi, Pastor Jakob Frei from Kappel and the Metropolitan Emilianos from Geneva.
Girls’ home 1976
Inauguration of the Focolare Centre
on September 6, 1978
The settlement “Eckstein” today
The Dialoghotel is part of the Eckstein settlement, a project of the Focolare Movement. The inhabitants of these buildings want to try out, in day to day living with others, how a small community , whose basis is the mutual love of the Gospel can function.
Important components of the settlement are its small businesses located there:
- The second hand shop “Von und Für”
- The art studio “Il Risorto”.
- The children’s club “Miraculix”
- Since summer 2014 the publishing house “Neue Stadt” with its range of books, magazines and art cards
