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From The Archives: Cave of Kelpius

Posted on June 13, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Brittany Valentine

Brittany Valentine

A historic gem known as the Cave of Kelpius is hidden deep in the hills of Wissahickon Park.

In the late 1600s, a group of German monks and mystics, led by 26-year-old philosopher Johannes Kelpius, emigrated to Philadelphia and settled along the Wissahickon Creek.

The group believed that the world was going to end in 1664. Kelpius got this date based on an interpretation of a verse in the Book of Revelation. So they chose to live a humble life in this small cave while they waited. They used the cave for prayer, meditation, and other spiritual purposes.

When the end of the world did not come, Kelpius and the monks stayed in the area, making art and music, studying the skies, and serving the surrounding community when they could. The group mostly separated after Kelpius died in 1708.

Here are two different routes you can take on bike or foot to find what’s left of the cave today. Happy hunting!

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