Wies Kirche
I have to quote Rick Steves' here because his description is perfect. "Germany's greatest Rococo styled church looks as brilliant as the day it floated down from heaven. Overripe with decoration, but bright and bursting with beauty, this church is a divine droplet, a curly, curlicue, the final flowering of the Baroque movement." I'd like to know if Rick came up with that himself or if he has an especially talented writer because this really does capture the romance of this gorgeous church.
We just so happened to be there on Mariahimmelfahrt (Assumption of Mary) during mass so we were delighted with a bit of organ music, but then had to come back later in the day to get photos of the inside.
The Details
Address: Weis 12 86989 Steingaden
Parking: €2/1 hour
Time: 30 minutes
Cost: Free, donations welcome
This pilgrimage church was painted by the Zimmerman brothers whose work can be seen throughout Bavaria including the
Schloss Nympenburg,
Schloss Oberschleissheim and the
Residenz in Munich. The church was built to house the statue of the whipped Christ who supposedly wept in 1738.
Like all the churches from that era the walls and ceilings are decorated to venerate Christ. As my daughters have grown a little tired of churches, I'm always on the lookout for something unique to point out to them. High above the alter is a silver lamb. I love the symbolism of Christ being the lamb and the shepherd.
The church owes its airy quality to its many ornately decorated windows. Rick Steves' has a really good description and self guided tour of the church including descriptions of the paintings. We don't go anywhere without Ricky.
What lovely church.
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