Even though Brunnthal is just another town over from Munich, you really couldn’t be any further away from the din of big city. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. In fact, I’d say it’s all part of the town’s charm.
One thing I noticed right away is, Brunnthal (and it’s nine other villages) isn’t very big, just over 38 square kilometers. And here’s where quality beats quantity, as there’s not a whole lot to see and do. B-U-T, what there is makes the expedition from Munich (or from wherever) worth it.
It’s worth it if you like to look at pretty architecture, that’s for sure. There are more than a handful of elegant looking churches and chapels. However, I really liked the one in Otterloh, an 18th century chapel that looks as if someone cut the building straight in half.
The Pfarrkirche of the Holy Cross with its onion dome is a graceful looking Baroque building, built more than 300 years ago. And the St. Mary Church in Hofolding is another Baroque jewel from the 18th century, as is the Church of Sts. Peter & Paul in Faistenhaar — although the latter church’s tower is from the Middle Ages.
It’s not all churches to look at, by the way. Scattered throughout all these villages are quite a number of old farmhouses, many of them from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Don’t fret, my friends, Brunnthal isn’t all about centuries old buildings. Hello, this is Upper Bavaria. What that means is you’re delighted by the best of the best of the German landscape, especially if you’re hiking around the Hofoldinger Forest. The Via Julia comes right on through, so if you’re traveling this scenic route you’ll no doubt wanna stick around for a while.
You should stick around the for the Maypole celebrations, too. It’s Bavarian custom to welcome in May 1st with music, dancing, eating, and good cheer.
Really, no one quite knows the historical significance of the May Day festivities — it’s been said to date back to pre-Christian times — but really, who cares? Just enjoy yourself, so you might as well do it here in Brunnthal. ;-)
