Oberammergau
Oberammergau is found in the wonderful valley of the river Ammer surmounted by the Mountain Kofel. Oberammergau is known through the passion plays, which take place every 10 years, the unique art of wood carving and the Lueftlmalerei. The art of carving in Oberammergau was already mentioned in the year 1111. The pilgrimage to the abbey ettal brought forward the religious designs. Through chapmen the small masterpieces get known in nearly whole Europe. Oberammergauer coopered a number of altars in roman - catholic churches at the USA. The small wooden saint figures are a popular and precious souvenir.
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Artful painter use a fresco - method to prettify the walls of the houses in Oberammergau. This painting is was we called "Lueftlmalerei". The pictures shows scenes from our Bavarian history or the profession of the house owner. Especially in Oberammergau you will find religious scenes also. The Schleierfaelle ( waterfalls; Schleier = german for veil, picture right ) are not only a beauty of nature. Since centuries it is said that this falls have a sedative but freshen influence to humans. During the summer near the Kolbensesselbahn (chairlift) you will find a lot of lovely hiking trails for the whole family. |
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Transfer from the Munich airport or Munich to Oberammergau
Passion Plays
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"The war feeds the war." the motto of duke Wallenstein the commander of the catholic troops represent for the population of Oberammergau a great distress. The countless mercenaries of the Thirty Years War have to be supplied and paid by the farmers and craftsman. At that the plague appears. The black death requires his victims. Plaque and war decimate the population at that time for the third part. The people of Oberammergau was not spared by this. The took the last chance. They vowed: if the plaque requires no more victims they will perform every ten years the "play about the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ." From this time on the saga tells us nobody from Oberammergau died by the plaque.
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The people kept their promise and in the year 1634 the first passion plays was performed by 70 participants on a stage on the graveyard. 1830 the stage was moved north west to the border of the village. First newspaper reports made the passion plays famous. 1880 there was more than 100.000 spectators. At the year 2000 during the last passions plays 2000 actors from Oberammergau, men, woman and children played in front of 520.000 visitors from all around the world. At the Passionstheater in Oberammergau with 4720 seats are performances and concerts over the whole year. On our tour a guided tour through the Passionstheater is possible.