Altötting is considered the most famous place of pilgrimage in Germany, attracting over a million visitors each year. One of the highlights is the Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of Mercy) with the Black Madonna, which attracts not only pilgrims, but also other visitors.
- Altötting: Spiritual centre
- The legend of the famous pilgrimage site
- Gnadenkapelle: The Black Madonna and the silver heart urns
- Other churches and attractions in Altötting
- Events in Altötting: Assumption of the Virgin Mary & Advent
- Altötting: Coming from Munich
Altötting is Germany's most famous Marian pilgrimage site and is located around 90 kilometres east of Munich. Recognised as a spiritual centre for 1,250 years already, even Pope Benedict XVI referred to the town as the “Heart of Bavaria“. The town centre features the famous Kapellplatz (Chapel Square) with the Gnadenkapelle, the Magdalenenkirche (Magdalen Church), the Anbetungskapelle (Adoration Chapel) and the Stiftspfarrkirche St. Phillippus und Jakobus (Collegiate Parish Church of St. Phillippus and Jakobus). In addition, there are numerous other sacred buildings from different eras in and around Altötting.
Every year, over a million pilgrims still travel to the small Upper Bavarian county town to visit the Black Madonna in the Gnadenkapelle. This site gained worldwide fame through a legend from the 15th century: In 1489, a desperate mother brought her son, who had fallen into the Mörnbach stream and was believed to be dead, to the small chapel. Here she prayed together with other believers for her child’s salvation and, miraculously, he woke up shortly after. Since then, Altötting has been a place of pilgrimage for people seeking help from Mary for their loved ones or themselves.
The Gnadenkapelle is the heart of Altötting and the central attraction for pilgrims from around the world. Located in the centre of the Kapellplatz (Chapel Square), this historic chapel was built between the 8th and 10th centuries and extended in the 15th century. Its most distinctive feature is the Octagon, an octagonal masonry structure that was probably built around the year 700, making it the oldest surviving building in the city. The chapel survived both the Hungarian invasion in the 10th century and the Second World War.
Visitors are immediately drawn to the numerous votive paintings created by the faithful as signs of gratitude and adorn the exterior walls and the interior. There are about 2,000 pictures with personal stories and objects, some dating back centuries, while others are more recent. Inside the Gnadenkapelle, the Black Madonna and the silver heart urns of the Wittelsbach electors and kings can still be seen to this day. A total of 28 heart burials took place in the chapel, including those of King Maximilian II, King Ludwig I and the “fairytale king“ Ludwig II.
Another significant sight is the Kapuzinerkirche St. Konrad (Capuchin church of St. Konrad), which houses a reliquary of the canonised St. Konrad von Parzham. Built in 1912, St. Anne's Basilica is the largest church in Altötting, with impressive dimensions and a capacity for over 8,000 people. The gothic collegiate parish church, constructed between 1499 and 1511, houses the historic “Death of Eding“ cabinet clock from the time of the plague.
Art enthusiasts will appreciate the Neue Schatzkammer (New Treasury) and the Wallfahrtsmuseum (Pilgrimage Museum), home to the famous “Goldenes Rössl,“ a small altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Additionally, the Kilwing incense manufactory, the diorama show at the Altöttinger Marienwerk house and the 1,200 square metre monumental circular painting “Jerusalem-Panorama Kreuzigung Christi“ from 1903 are all must-see attractions in Altötting.
As an important centre for the Catholic faith, Altötting celebrates its festivals on a grand scale: Illuminated processions take place on “Assumption Day“ and “Corpus Christi,“ as well as every Saturday from May to October. The highlight of the pilgrimage year is the “Marian month“ of May with a three-day Pentecost observance. Numerous church services and pilgrimages take place throughout the year. Another special time is Advent season in Altötting. The town hosts the Altöttinger Advent carol singing, selected Christmas concerts and an annual Christkindlmarkt (the Christmas market) on the Kapellplatz.
By train: approx. 1.5 hours Information at bahn.de
By car: approx. 1.5 hours via the A94 highway
