Take note the rest of Germany, I’m only going to say this once. You really don’t need to have a whole helluva lot to see and do when you’re a simple, tiny town like Arnstorf in Lower Bavaria.
The name Lower Bavaria isn’t enough for you? Of course it isn’t, but you can’t blame someone for trying. ;-)
Really, Arnstorf doesn’t have too much to see and do. Amazing since the town is made up of over 150 (!) villages and hamlets.
Yeah, you look just as surprised as I was. ;-)
And I’ll be honest, I didn’t have the time to visit every shire, hamlet, farm, and whatnot. What I did find was pretty awesome. Too bad the Medieval Festival only takes place every four years. I missed the one in 2011, drats!
I guess it’ll have to be the annual Village Festival for everyone to enjoy in the mean time. When is it? Usually late July or early August.
You’ll have to go see the Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) of St. George too. You can’t really tell it was built in 1253 from its Gothic and Baroque architecture and art — but it was.
The Schneekapelle (Snow Chapel) is younger, as it had to be rebuilt after being destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War. It only took them 7 years to do it.
In Mariakirchen (that’s one of the villages) there’s a Baroque church (Maria Himmelfahrt) and lots of biking paths.
Mitterhausen has yet another church, this one being a Gothic one dedicated to St. Stephen. Neukirchen’s got to get in on the church thing too — the Church of the Virgin Name built in 1440.
Even tiny Ruppertskirchen, a village of merely 20 people, has a 13th century Romanesque church. It’s also got a tavern, so drink up while you’re here.
The last village has (had actually) a castle. The Burgstall is found in the village of Jägerndorf, as is the Church of St. Michael; and the 19th century Gasthof zum Bräu.
Oops, that’s not the only castle. There’s the Untere Schloss (Lower Castle) and the Obere Schloss, a 15th century diddy with awesome frescoes in its Chapel of St. Catherine.
I wish I had more time to see what else Arnstorf’s got hidden. You know what? This place might be small, but it certainly isn’t simple — it’s lovely.
