Oberammergau
An Alpine village famous for its Lüftlmalerei facade paintings and wood carvings, home to a Passion Play performed once a decade for nearly 400 years.
Oberammergau lies in the Ammer Valley at an elevation of about 837 meters, and it is known for two things. The first is Lüftlmalerei, painted facades: many houses in the village display religious stories, fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and the Gingerbread House, and scenes of Bavarian life, with the murals on the Pilate House being the most exquisite. The second is the Passion Play. In 1633, during the Black Death, the villagers vowed that if they were spared, they would perform the Passion Play once every ten years. The tradition has continued since 1634, with more than 2,000 villagers taking part. The next performance is expected in 2030, and the Passion Play Theatre can be visited at other times. The village also has dozens of wood-carving workshops and shops selling handmade religious carvings, nutcrackers, and Christmas decorations. The village is small and can be explored on foot in 1 to 2 hours. From Munich, the train takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes, with a change at Murnau. It is about 20 minutes' drive from Linderhof Palace and 30 minutes from the Wieskirche, making it an ideal lunch stop on the Alpine driving route.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Ettal Abbey
- Linderhof Palace
- Wieskirche
- Zugspitze
- Tegelberg Cable Car
- Plansee
- Pöllat Gorge
- Neuschwanstein Castle