Benediktbeuern (around 3,600 inhabitants) boasts an attractive location at the foot of the Benediktenwand mountain ridge (1,801m) and near the Loisach-Kochelsee moor. The onion-shaped dome of the oldest monastery in Upper Bavaria, built around 740, is visible from miles around. Today, it is the spiritual and cultural centre of the 'Tölzer Land’ region.
Sights worth visiting include the Baroque-style monastery building and Basilica of St. Benedict church, the Rococo-style Chapel of Anastasia and the glassworks of renowned researcher Joseph von Fraunhofer. The works of ‘Carmina Burana’ by the famous composer Carl Orff are housed in the former monastery library. Guided tours of the former Benedictine monastery, where the Salesians of Don Bosco have congregated since 1930, are offered in German and are available in other languages for group visits.
Numerous hiking trails wind through the magnificent wetlands and invite you to explore the fascinating mountains, particularly the Benediktenwand ridge. A large cycle network provides plenty of opportunity to discover the surroundings on two wheels. There’s plenty for mountain bikers to enjoy, too. The heated ‘Alpenwarmbad’ outdoor pool is open for swimming from mid-May to mid-September.
Nature enthusiasts can enjoy a real treat in the nature reserve surrounding the monastery. Experience biotopes, barefoot paths, sound trails, swamp trails and more await discovery.
Culture enthusiasts will find a wide range of top-class concerts in Benediktbeuern from chamber music to open-air events. Experience typical Bavarian tradition with events such as Bavaria's oldest Corpus Christi procession, the Leonhardi pilgrimage with its over 50 horsecarts, the Old Bavarian Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market), among others.
Allow our monastery village to surprise you as it did Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, prince of poets, who on his trip to Italy in 1786 said that “Benediktbeuern is beautifully located and the sight of it surprises me”.
