I have a wonderful friend out there who added to her list of things to see in this lifetime (sounds better than a bucket list, no?) to see all the famous (and not so famous) Gothic churches in Europe. An ambitious undertaking, I would say. And I would also say she needs to add a stop here in the Lower Bavarian town of Kumhausen on her quest.
If a trip to see some amazing castles would have been on the agenda, I’d say this might not be the place — since the place doesn’t have many. OK, it’s got one not too far away, in Neufraunhofen. Schloss Neufraunhofen’s original construction started in the 14th century, and it’s quite famous in these parts for its castle church.
As for those churches, with some 49 districts to Kumhausen, my friend is bound to find a church one to her liking — as will you.
The St. Maria Chapel might be a late Gothic church, but it still qualifies as one — as does the Church of St. Ulrich, even though it’s undergone a Baroque transformation, and St. Benedict’s needs an honorable mention, since it too is a 15th century Gothic church. The chapel in the village of Allkofen might look Gothic, but it’s really a neo-Gothic one from the 19th century.
Maybe if my pal had just set off to find old churches in Europe, she’d fare much better here in Kumhausen. The St. Lorenz Church is a fine Romanesque church from the late 13th century — which is around the same time the St. Vitus’ Romanesque church was built.
None, however, are as old as Kumhausen’s Church of St. Peter. Sure it might seem kind of modern with its Baroque additions, but its origins go all the way back to the 1200s, replacing the church that stood on this spot since the mid-9th century.
Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your brain around those numbers, so try to gander the thought that Kumhausen started off as a Celtic settlement some 3,000 years ago. Hard to imagine when a number of bus routes and highways are criss-crossing through town, isn’t it?
I wish my friend good luck on her journey, as well as to you here in Kumhausen. Maybe we can all meet at the town’s Christmas Market? Sounds like the perfect time of year to go see those churches, yes?
