Wieskirche (Pilgrimage Church of Wies) in the Bavarian Oberland is one of the world’s most famous Rococo churches. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
The area to the south-west of Ammersee and Starnberger See is also known as “Pfaffenwinkel” (“priest’s corner”) due to the fact that it has a higher density of churches and monasteries than anywhere else in the dominantly Catholic area of Upper Bavaria.
The most famous attraction in this picturesque region is the pilgrimage church “Zum gegeißelten Heiland auf der Wies”, the origins of which can be traced back to a miraculous event in the 18th century:
On 14 June 1738, the farmer Maria Lory noticed some moisture in the eyes of a figure of the Scourged Saviour. The miracle of the crying figure saw the start of a pilgrimage movement, which quickly spread beyond the borders of Bavaria.
The first wooden field chapel was built in 1740 but soon became too small. Between 1745 and 1754, the brothers Johann Baptist and Dominikus Zimmermann then erected the Wieskirche, a church known for its sweeping rococo style.
Nowadays, the pilgrimage church attracts around one million visitors from across the globe, including plenty of pilgrims.
Wieskirche: How to get there from Munich
Car: approx. 1.5 hours via the A95 or A96 motorways
