Penzing and the History of the Field Chapel

Penzing’s local history can be told through two distinct church-related subjects: the history of the Field Chapel and the long construction history of St. Martin’s Parish Church. Specific dates and details take center stage, making the town interesting for history-minded travelers as well.

The Field Chapel and St. Martin’s Parish Church

The Chapel of Our Lady, also known as the Field Chapel, was built and endowed in 1722 on the southern edge of Penzing by Simon Erhart, a priest in Bergen, and Johann Wiedemann, a wagon maker from Penzing. In 1806, lightning struck the chapel; due to a lack of funds, it was not rebuilt. The December 2022 community bulletin identifies its bell as the only surviving part. The inscription recorded on it reads “Johanns Windaman von Penzing 1723.” The foundation year of 1722 and the year 1723 on the bell link two dates close together and provide a tangible point of reference for the story. For families who enjoy grounding history in specific details, the inscription can spark a conversation about names, trades, and local history.

The Catholic parish church of St. Martin offers a different architectural accent: its core dates to the 15th century, and around 1719 it was extended and given a Baroque makeover. In Penzing, a lost chapel whose story is linked to the surviving bell thus stands alongside a church with a medieval core and later Baroque alterations. These different layers of history offer a clear starting point if you are interested in the town’s architectural development.

Culture in the wider Landsberg Am Lech destination

The wider Landsberg Am Lech destination offers additional cultural and historical subjects that stand on their own. The Bayertor in Landsberg am Lech has stood since 1425 and is considered one of Bavaria’s finest Gothic buildings. The Mutterturm in Landsberg am Lech is an exceptional Historicist monument that Herkomer commissioned in honor of his mother. The two buildings offer different points of interest: the Bayertor represents Gothic architecture, while the Mutterturm is a monument with a personal story behind it.

The Landsberg am Lech City Museum presents the city’s history and connects it with questions of the present. On the Leitenberg, it offers one of the finest views of the city of Landsberg. Guided tours through the old town also take in various chapters of the city’s history: they tell, among other things, of dukes and prince-electors, the salt trade, raftsmen, dyers and tanners, as well as Jesuits and Ursulines. Legends from the Middle Ages to modern times round out the picture. The range thus extends from buildings and city views to trade, crafts, and storytelling traditions.

Lake, floodplain landscape, and river route

The landscape and activities are also distinct subjects within the wider Landsberg Am Lech destination. Lake Ammersee lies entirely within the district of Landsberg am Lech. In Upper Bavaria, it is Bavaria’s third-largest lake, after Lake Chiemsee and Lake Starnberg. Boat trips, water sports, and lakeside promenades sit alongside sporting and cultural activities amid the natural scenery of the Bavarian Alpine foothills. Lechpark Pössinger Au, in turn, is the city of Landsberg’s main local recreation area, encompassing woodland, meadows, and floodplain landscape with increasingly rare animals and plants.

The LechErlebnisWeg offers another perspective on the river: it starts at Landsberg’s main square and follows the Lech for most of its route. Lake Ammersee, the floodplain landscape, and the river course therefore represent different landscape and activity themes within the wider destination; they are not features of Penzing itself. The contrast between local history, city history, and nature can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

Choose accommodation to match your travel focus

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Penzing, the history of the Field Chapel and the construction history of St. Martin’s can guide your exploration of the town. If you are planning your stay primarily around the wider Landsberg Am Lech destination, choose your accommodation’s location based on the places and experiences that matter to your plans. This way, you can shape your search around whether Penzing’s local history or other cultural and landscape themes should be the main focus.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Epfenhausen, Oberbergen, Untermühlhausen, Ramsach, Schondorf Am Ammersee, Weil, Greifenberg, Pürgen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Landsberg Am Lech.