It’s not all that shocking that the town of Tiefenbach is comprised of 78 villages and hamlets. What kinda got me was some of the names, like Oberjacking, Kirchberg vorm Wald, and Fatting.
Sounds silly, but there ain’t nothing silly about it. This place is great. Just don’t go confusing it with the country’s other Tiefenbachs. Yes, that was plural — there are several others throughout Germany. This one, however, is the largest one of ’em. Be proud. :-)
To make it more clear, this Tiefenbach is also known as Tiefenbach bei Passau; as it sits just north of Passau. So, now that you know where to find it — let’s get to it.
Throughout the many villages of this Tiefenbach you’ll find a bunch of little chapels, many of which date back to around the 19th century. And you’ve also got the Pestsäule und “Kaisa und Kini”. A long name for a lil’ stone that once marked a 17th century boundary and a plague epidemic during the Thirty Years’ War.
This conflict brings me to the Schloss Haselbach. Originally a medieval castle from around 1207 (no one’s too sure), it was destroyed by the Swedes in the 1630s and rebuilt in 1725. Even though you can’t see the inside, its exterior is a wonderful example of the architecture of the time. Plus, the Castle Brewery now belongs to the Löwenbrauerei.
Another architectural gem is the Pfarrkirche St. Johannes der Täufer (St. John the Baptist), a church in the village of Kirchberg vorm Wald that’s a blend of both Gothic and Baroque.
St. Margareta is older. Built in the 12th century, it too has Baroque stylings in there.
Lower Bavaria is best experienced outdoors, but first stop at the Local History Museum with its Stone Age artifacts.
Now it’s time to get out on one of the marked hiking trails through its hilly and forested landscape. Come see the Jackinger Linde, a huge tree so old no one’s quite sure exactly how old it is. Some say it’s upwards of 800 years old.
Debate it at one of Tiefenbach’s festivals, like the Pfingsfest (at Pentecost), the Summer Festivals (June and July), the Erntedankfest (Harvest Festival) in October, and the Maibaumfest (May 1st).
This is all in addition to the Autumn Culture Days, held from the middle of September to the middle of October.
Hell, with all this going on there isn’t any way I could confuse this Tiefenbach with any other — especially with all the funny names.
