We left off in Bavaria, Germany. There is so much to do here, that a few days just does not do it justice. As we went south to visit the famous Ludwig castles, major tourist sights that they are, we stopped off at the Wies church. Located a bit off the beaten track, the pilgrimage church of Wies is in Steingaden, a rural, but completely typical Bavarian countryside. There isn’t even much of a village nearby; it’s set among a few farms and lots of open fields. In early June, it was gorgeous weather and the there were flowers and animals; very bucolic.
The question becomes, why here? Well, just like the beginning of many pilgrammage sites, this one has a story. In 1738 tears were seen on a wooden carving of the savior, and therefore they needed to build a church there to accommodate the pilgrims.
The church itself just seems so out of place, standing high and very large on the crest of a hill. It completely overtakes the view. As impressive as the exterior is, it just does not prepare you for the inside. I’ve seen many churches, cathedrals, temples, and mosques along my travels. That’s one of theose things that we travelers do, and I have to tell you, this one is pretty special. I read a review that one person likened the interior of the church to what he thought heaven would look like, and I have to agree with him. The roccoco style of architecture lends a fluffiness to the stonework. Is that possible?
The entire space is so light and airy, with the organ as massive as it is, dominating one full wall. There was only one tour group there when we went, and it as so nice just to take your time and wander among the colorful frescoes and admire them. All in all it was not only a surprise, but it was a nice, quiet relief from the tons of crowds in other parts of Bavaria.
Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.
Katrina
Wednesday 13th of August 2014
Wow, they let you take pictures inside now?! When we were there in 2010, photos were prohibited inside, so we bought a few postcards instead. We only had about 30 minutes there as we were taking the Romantische Strasse bus to and from Neuschwanstein, but I *loved* that church. I have to agree with the review you quoted; the decorating really does capture what one would think heaven must look like!
Corinne Vail
Wednesday 13th of August 2014
Katrina, We didn't go on a tour and no one told me not to take photos...I don't know. It's a gorgeous church!