UNESCO World Heritage Site Wieskirche
The Wieskirche, which is located in the foothills of the Alps near
Steingaden is known as one of the most impressive rococo churches in the
world.
In the Wies Church rococo art reached a unique perfection. This
masterpiece, created by the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist
Zimmermann of Wessobrunn, was given international recognition in 1983
when it was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. In spite of the lightness
and grace typical of rococo style, the Wies Church has a deep meditative
quality coming from the important theological themes which are treated
there. Spiritual center of the church is the Scourged Saviour, Jesus Christ,
God's Son, who, giving his life for all humankind, offers himself as a
sacrifice to God the Father. Out of this sacrifice is born redemption,
blessing and the glory of heaven. Every pilgrim and visitor of the Wies
Church is rewarded by the magnificence and harmony of the wonderful
song Zimmermann called forth in building the Wies Church. When the
visitor, in encountering the resounding four-tone chord of art, theology, light
and music, experiences the total beauty of the Wies, he can experience
what the builder of the church, Abbot Marianus II Mayer, expressed: "Hoc
loco habitat fortuna, hic quiescit cor." (In this place abideth happiness,
here the heart findeth peace)
Its history began with a miracle. In 1738 tears were seen on a dilapidated
wooden figure of the Scourged Saviour. This miracle resulted in a
pilgrimage rush. In 1740 a small chapel was built to house the statue, but
soon it became clear that it was too small for the number of pilgrims it
attracted. Thus the Steingaden monastery decided to build a separate
shrine near the original chapel. The construction took place between 1745
and 1754. Today, about 1 million people visit the famous pilgrimage church,
which is also part of the Romantic Road, every year. Since the pilgrimage
has remained alive up to the present, there are lots of request and thanks
papers on the side corridors. Young and old people leave their papers with
prayers and thanks in the church. Every Wednesday there is a general
Pilgrim day with meditation, pilgrim mass, guided tour of the church,
musical meditation etc.
Tourismusverband Pfaffenwinkel ∙ Bauerngasse 5 ∙ 86956 Schongau ∙ Postfach 1247 ∙ 86952 Schongau
Telefon 08861/7773 ∙ Fax 08861/200678 ∙ info@pfaffen-winkel.de ∙ www.pfaffen-winkel.de
Verantwortlich für den Pressendienst: Susanne Lengger, Geschäftsführerin ∙ lengger@pfaffen-winkel.de
A special experience is also to attend one of the concerts in the church.
“Festlicher Sommer in der Wies” and “”Musik im Pfaffenwinkel”: The
combination of musical performance and sacral architecture is the
distinctive feature of this extraordinary event. Every year from June to
August the compositions of world-renowned and immortal musicians are
presented.
“Abendkonzerte in der Wieskirche”: The organist of the Wies church, Anton
Guggemos, leads these concerts which take place on Saturday evenings
from May to October.
In the surroundings of the Wieskirche there are several other places worth
visiting: The Guelph cathedral in Steingaden (originally Romanesque
minster with a wonderful cloister) and the former monastery collegiate
church in Rottenbuch together with Altenstadt and its Romanesque basilica
are but a few of the sacred edifices well worth visiting. The Wessobrunn
Prayer, written in Old High German around the year 814, is the oldest
preserved text, marking, so to speak, the beginning of German literature.
Another destination is the historical town of Schongau, an important trade
place in the Middle Ages with a completely preserved city wall.
Within short driving distance there are the very famous King Ludwig’s
castles: Neuschwanstein which is called the “fairy-tale castle”,
Hohenschwangau next to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof near
Oberammergau.
For further information, please contact:
Tourismusverband Pfaffenwinkel, Bauerngasse 5, D-86956 Schongau,
Phone: +49 (0) 88 61 / 77 73, Fax: +49 (0) 88 61 / 200 678
info@pfaffen-winkel.de, www.pfaffen-winkel.de
Tourismusverband Pfaffenwinkel ∙ Bauerngasse 5 ∙ 86956 Schongau ∙ Postfach 1247 ∙ 86952 Schongau
Telefon 08861/7773 ∙ Fax 08861/200678 ∙ info@pfaffen-winkel.de ∙ www.pfaffen-winkel.de
Verantwortlich für den Pressendienst: Susanne Lengger, Geschäftsführerin ∙ lengger@pfaffen-winkel.de