Greifenberg: Church Art and History

Church Art in Two Distinct Settings

The Herrgottsruh Chapel was built in 1695 by the Ziegler innkeeping family. Its altar depicts “Christ at Rest,” flanked by Saints Sebastian and Wendelin; above it, a half-figure of God the Father appears within a wreath of clouds. The furnishings offer several specific motifs, from the central figure to the depiction in the upper part of the altar. This draws attention to the altar’s imagery, not just to the year the chapel was built.

At the parish church of Maria Immaculata, the distinctive features are its spatial layout and artistic furnishings. A large honeycomb window forms a side aisle, at the end of which is the Marian chapel; a separate baptistery was also added. The church’s artwork includes a rood cross by Professor Heinrich Kirchner, as well as works by sculptors Johannes Dumansky, Hans Kreuz and Erich Sinz.

The comparison reveals two different perspectives: the altar figures in the Herrgottsruh Chapel on the one hand, and the spatial layout and artworks in Maria Immaculata on the other. Art lovers will find different points of interest in Greifenberg.

Hiking Route and Traces of Local History

This circular hike starts and ends in Oberschondorf. It leads through the Windach Valley and uphill to Greifenberg, then along Karwendelstraße to the parish church of the Mother of God of the Immaculate Conception. Oberschondorf, as both the starting and finishing point, is just as important for orienting yourself as the stop in Greifenberg when you add the hike to your day’s plans.

The Schlosswiesen Bridge and its access paths lie within the “Windach” NATURA 2000 Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a European protected area for nature and landscape. The Schlosswiesen Bridge has been closed since mid-2021.

Greifenberg was one of several villages in the former Hofmark on Lake Ammersee, administered from Greifenberg Castle. A more recent chapter in the village’s history also has a precise date: the former public baths reopened as a summer swimming pool in May 2022.

More Topics in the Wider Landsberg Am Lech Destination

The wider Landsberg Am Lech destination also offers local history and architecture. The Bayertor in Landsberg am Lech has stood since 1425 and is considered one of Bavaria’s finest Gothic buildings. The Mutterturm is an extraordinary monument to historicism, commissioned by Herkomer in honor of his mother.

The Landsberg am Lech City Museum on the Leitenberg presents local history and connects it with questions of the present; its location also offers one of the finest views of the city. Guided tours of the old town tell stories of dukes and prince-electors, the salt trade and raftsmen, dyers and tanners, as well as Jesuits, Ursulines and legends spanning the Middle Ages to the modern era. The museum and guided tours therefore offer different ways to explore Landsberg’s history.

Lake Ammersee is also part of the wider Landsberg Am Lech destination and lies entirely within the district of Landsberg am Lech. After Lake Chiemsee and Lake Starnberg, it is Bavaria’s third-largest lake; boat trips, water sports and attractive lakeside promenades offer more vacation activities there. Lechpark Pössinger Au is the city of Landsberg’s main local recreation area and encompasses woodland, meadows and floodplain landscapes, home to animal and plant species that have become rare.

When choosing a holiday apartment, the mix of activities you want may be decisive: Greifenberg’s church art, local history and circular hike offer a different focus from the urban, lakeside and nature-related attractions in the wider Landsberg Am Lech destination. Let the aspects you want to define your stay guide your choice.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kinsau, Denklingen, Geltendorf, Windach, Thaining, Kaufering, Schondorf Am Ammersee, Rott.

Return to the main travel overview: Landsberg Am Lech.