4 Best Sights in The Bavarian Alps, Germany

Oberammergau Museum

This museum dedicated to local traditions displays historic examples of the wood craftsman's art and an outstanding collection of Christmas crèches dating from the mid-18th century. There's a bit about Oberammergau's role in organ-building and the influence local organs had on the design of U.S. churches. It's gotten a modern update with multimedia storytelling from the region while maintaining the traditional exhibits of wood-carved animals and puppetry.

Oberammergau Passionsspielhaus

This immense theater is where the world-famous Passion Play showing the crucifixion is performed every 10 years. In the off-season (for this ten-year period any year that's not 2022), the theater does host other concerts and plays. Tours providing a glimpse of the costumes, the sceneries, the stage, and even the auditorium are held in German at 2 pm Wednesday and Sunday.

Theaterstr. 16, Oberammergau, Bavaria, 82487, Germany
08822-945–8888
Sights Details
Rate Includes: €3.50; €5 including Oberammergau Museum, Closed Mon.

Pilatushaus

Wood carving is a centuries-old local tradition that carries on to this day. Here you can have a look at the local craftsmen in their workshop, alongside working potters and painters. Completed in 1775, the building itself is considered among the most beautiful in town due to the frescoes by Franz Seraph Zwinck, one of the greatest Lüftlmalerei painters. The house is actually named for the fresco over the front door depicting Christ before Pilate.

Recommended Fodor's Video

St. Peter and St. Paul Church

St. Peter and St. Paul Church
Igor Plotnikov / Shutterstock

Built in 1736, this church is regarded as the finest work of rococo architect Josef Schmutzer, whose son, Franz Xaver Schmutzer, did a lot of the stuccowork. Striking frescoes by Matthäus Günther and Franz Seraph Zwinck depict Mary as the answerer of prayers as well as a scene from the crucifixion. The latter is said to date back to the 1633 promise by the elders of Oberammergau to hold the passion play every decade if the town were to be saved from the plague.