Last Updated on 01/06/25 by Rose Palmer
Bavaria’s Wieskirche or the Pilgrimage Church of Wies, is a UNESCO protected church in the bucolic, green foothills of the German alps. Built in the mid 18th century by two brothers, J.B. and Dominikus ZImmermann, the site became a pilgrimage destination to see the Scourged Saviour, a wooden statue that was purported to produce miracles to those who prayed to it.
When the existing chapel that displayed the wooden figure became too small for the pilgrimage rush, the local abbey commissioned the larger church and shrine – which is Wieskirche we have today.
Inside the Wieskirche
The church was built in the 1740’s. Its simple exterior surrounded by the pastoral scenery gave no hint to the elaborate rococo masterpiece that greeted me inside. The frescoes, the sculptures and the detailed wood carvings all came together into an elaborate (and a little visually overwhelming) space that had to be taken in slowly.
How to get to the Wieskirche
The Wieskirche is about a one and a half hour drive south from Munich and about a half hour drive from the town of Oberammergau. It is also about a half hour drive from the castle of Neuschwanstein.
For information about visiting the Wieskirche, please visit http://wieskirche.de/.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Other stories about my travels to Germany:
A Christmas Market cruise along the Rhine River: A Photo JOurney Through My Best Christmas Market Cruise With Riverside Luxury Cruises
A day at Munich’s Nymphenburg Palace: Escape the Crowds With One Day in Munich at the Nymphenburg Palace and Gardens
A day in Fussen, Germany: A Day in Fussen, germany and Its Authentic Gothic Castle
