Well, I’m back in Bavaria again this time in the town of Hemau and its 12 other hamlets. Hemau is the largest town in the Regensberg District, but you don’t care about that. Or maybe you do, since it means we probably won’t be crowded. Yeah!
Crowded or not, Hemau started out simple enough as two Celtic settlements that pre-date those crazy Romans. Oh, did I just write that? Sorry, I mean pre-dating those fine, polite, well-mannered Romans. ;-)
OK, enough about who founded the place… let’s talk about what’s to see.
Mostly everyone goes up the Eichelberg to see the Holy Trinity Pilgrimage Church. Honestly, it’s hard to miss this Baroque church since it’s painted bright yellow and white. And the view of the Jura from up here is spectacular.
The other outstanding church in Hemau (well, close to Hemau) is the Kloster Prüfening. Built as a Benedictine Abbey in 1119 it was the center of religious life for seven hundred years before it closed in 1803.
Kloster Prüfening’s monastery might be closed, but the church is still used today. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. Neither would I miss the Brunnhaus, a Romanesque water supply building that still flows water today.
Seen enough? It’s festival time in Hemau! A couple of Hemau’s festivals aren’t easy to pronounce, but they’re great fun for everyone! Carnival kicks off the year, a religious party on the Sunday before Lent begins.
The Spring Market is next; and always on the last Sunday in April. You’ve then got the BürgerFest on the last Saturday of June.
September brings on a few more festivals. The Tangrintel-Fest is a 3-day weekend affair and here’s the kicker — the festival’s Sunday is ALWAYS the 1st Sunday in September. Confusing, right? Just look a calendar and you’ll figure it out.
Then just about a week later is the Michaelimarkt, which falls on the 2nd Sunday after the Nativity of Mary. OK, even I had to look that up on the Christian calendar (please no one tell my mother) — the Nativity of Mary is September 8th.
The year winds down with the Spitzlmarkt on October 31 and the Christmas Market on December 21. Wow, talk about waiting til the last minute for gift buying. Even if you’ve already done your shopping, try the mulled wine.
On Market and Festival days Hemau’s Spielzeugmuseum or Toy Museum in the Old Town Hall is open. OK, it’s open other times of the year, just not so much. The 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month except January, February, and August.
That’s all right, August is when everyone heads to the municipal outdoor pool. The kids can play in the sandbox and everyone get to join in a game of beach volleyball.
Who cares if Hemau is the largest town in the Regensberg District — I’d say it’s probably the most fun, too.