Will Upper Bavaria ever cease to amaze us? No, I don’t think so given it’s filled with towns like Altomünster (and its 48 (!) villages) with modern day conveniences and its historical sites.
It wasn’t always a modern town though with guided tours and electric bicycles to rent (only about 5 Euro for the whole day).
No, Altomünster was once the site of a Benedictine Monastery (it was founded in 750), that changed to a Bridgettine Order a few centuries later. To understand more about this strict monastic order, I would suggest visiting the Bridgettine Order Museum.
The monastery might be gone (since 1803), but the church dedicated to St. Alto and St. Bridget is still here.
Another museum I wouldn’t miss seeing is Altomünster’s Museum of Modern Art. Or, it’s Local History Museum (a.k.a. Heimatmuseum) for that matter.
The most important museum in town is the Brauereimuseum or Brewery Museum, which details the history of the Brauereigasthof Kapplerbräu. The brewery has been here since the 1560s, but the building itself didn’t come along until the late 17th century, built in the Baroque style of the time.
Yeah, beer, great — but this is Bavaria so you’ll really want to be outside. That electric bike is a really good idea, and there are a number of bike trails (one is 14km long, so you don’t have to go too far) that’ll lead you off into the countryside.
Of course there are hiking trails if you’d just rather walk yourself around. Don’t worry, no one will judge if you can’t ride a bike, it’ll be our secret. ;-)
Altomünster might be famous for its former abbey, but it’s also known for its Baroque Market Festival in Early October.
Hey, it’s good that the Baroque period get the respect it deserves. Everyone always wants Medieval Markets and Festivals.
Does this sound like a place for you? I sure hope it does, and the best part is its easy enough to get to from Ingolstadt, Augsburg, and Munich.
And I sure hope Upper Bavaria never ceases to amaze you, but with places like Altomünster I don’t think that’ll happen.
