Schwandorf is a traditional town in the beautiful and immensely popular region of Upper Palatinate. Its beautiful, elegant charm will have you remembering this Swan Village for a long time to come.
There are many picturesque highlights of this quaint place. Let’s start by exploring some of the amazing and interesting churches that call Schwandorf home.
The Church of St. Peter and Paul is a Roman Catholic structure from the twelfth century. Its style is the Romanesque but later many Baroque elements were added. This blending of architectural designs gives the church a very unique feeling. A highlight here is the Madonna picture, a replica of one found in St James in Innsbruck. Many pilgrims have come here just for a glimpse.
The Church of Our Lady of the Cross is another Catholic one. The bright yellow facade evokes bright sunshine and almost has a Mediterranean flair to it. Its two towers flank the large central piece. Our Lady of the Cross was virtually destroyed during the heavy bombing of World War Two. Today we can enjoy the bold colors of this singular church due to an extensive reconstruction program.
There are also many non-religious building here that can be enjoyed by believer and non-believer alike. The Blasturm is a town landmark that was built in 1494 and was (and still is) the highest point of the old city walls.
Another remnant of the earlier times of Schwandorf is the Castle Fronberg. While a bit dilapidated, there are still signs of some its former glory. It is nevertheless an interesting stop along the tourist route.
If you’d like a bit of a different view of the Bavarian jewel, be sure to look into some of the hot-air balloon excursions that give you a bird’s eye view of this charming town. What could be a better way to see the lovely Schwandorf than floating above it in the air? :-)
