In Upper Bavaria only 23 kilometers east of Munich in the Ebersberg Forest is the town of Markt Schwaben. Actually, it’s Markt Markt Schwaben, receiving the “Markt” title after getting market rights. I know, kind of confusing since it already had the name Markt. Don’t ask, just go along with it. ;-)
As with many small towns Markt Schwaben has quite a few markets throughout the year. The weekly market, held on Thursdays from 7am – noon, is a hodge podge of colors created from all the produce and flowers. And, don’t confuse the annual Advent Market (end of November) with the Christmas Market (the week before Christmas).
Is there anything as it seems in Markt Schwaben?
Pritzl-Haus is kind of an enigma in town. Some of the building’s 30 rooms in this 1890’s mansion, once used as a bakery, are only closet sized. That’s either a serious walk-in closet or a seriously tiny room. What were they thinking?
Markt Schwaben’s Town Hall is a blend of the old and new, with parts of the municipal building, it’s a modern structure attached to an old castle.
And the town’s water tower isn’t as old as it pretends to be. The look is medieval, the reality is that it wasn’t built until many centuries later.
At least you know what you’re getting when you visit the Mariahilf Kapelle, it’s just a tiny little (yet cute) chapel built in the 1720’s.
Just as well, you know what to expect at the Brauereifest, held every two years on even numbered years in late Summer. Yeah, that’s right, beer. Oh, don’t think of it as a bad thing — Bavaria and beer go hand-in-hand.
The Markt Schwaben local history museum is pretty straightforward, too. Located at Bahnhofstr. 28, the museum has exhibits from the Stone Age to modern day.
Even if you don’t speak German, you can follow along with a show put on at the Weiherspiele. It’s an outdoor theater created by an amateur theater troupe.
I think Markt Schwaben is a pretty nifty place, no matter what its name is; and I think you’ll agree.