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Thursday, December 26, 2024
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Wieskirche
Wies 12, 86989 Steingaden,
Steingaden
Bavaria
Germany
08862-932-930
Location: Steingaden
Type: Historical Interest
Addmission Fee: Free
Hours: Daily 8am-7pm, closing at 5 pm in winter
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Steingaden
Bavaria
Germany
08862-932-930
Location: Steingaden
Type: Historical Interest
Addmission Fee: Free
Hours: Daily 8am-7pm, closing at 5 pm in winter
Comments ( 0 )
Rating (0 Votes)
The magnificent Wieskirche (Church in the Meadow) is generally seen as the definitive Rococo church in southern Bavaria. This glorious construction in a meadow, literally in the middle of nowhere, is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The Wieskirche was designed by master Rococo architect and stucco artist Dominikus Zimmermann (1685-1766). His equally talented brother Jean Baptiste Zimmermann (1680-1758) did much of the interior painting.
[ Related page: Steingaden, Germany ]
The exterior is typical of a Rococo church – rather plain and serving mainly to keep the interior from falling apart. Approaching the Wieskirche, from the parking lot a few hundred yards down a gentle hill, the pale yellow exterior reveals nothing of the glorious interior. Inside, the church is oval-shaped with a narrow apse extension. The huge cupola is also oval and ideally suited for the Rococo painting of the Second Coming.
The lower parts of the church, associated with earth, are sparsely decorated and mostly white. The upper reaches represent heaven and are typical Rococo with stuccos, paintings, and gilded decorations. The choir is a symphony of frescoes, gilded stuccos and statues, and marble balustrades. Large windows ensure ample light and the church is best appreciated on a sunny day. It is hard to imagine today how so magnificent a church could have been financed by such a small agricultural community.
It was all due to a statue of Christ that was considered too pitiful for use in processions. In 1738, a farming couple saw this Christ in Tears. Subsequent prayers were answered and the pilgrims and donations started to come in. It currently attracts a million visitors annually. Dominikus Zimmermann saw the church as his greatest accomplishment and spent the last 10 years of his life in a small house almost at its doorstep.
Several series of concerts are held in the church, especially in summer–each sponsored by different organizations. The church itself does not have information on these concerts nor does it sell tickets. Entrance to many concerts is free and without reservations. The Wieskierche is 50 km (30 miles) north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen on a small country lane near Steingaden. It can be reached from Füssen on the RVO bus lines 9715 and 1084.
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