Discover Forstern

Forstern brings together a distinctive church building and the history of technology: the Church of the Assumption stands in Tading, within the municipality of Forstern, while the Eicher Museum, with its special collection, is located on the outskirts of Forstern. Both themes give the town a distinct cultural profile.

The Church of the Assumption in Tading

The church is a stately, distinctive building typical of the Erdinger Baroque. The original Gothic devotional image, dating from around 1500, is displayed in the centre of the magnificent high altar. Baroque design and a much older image thus come together in the same chancel. The high altar was created by Erdinger cabinetmaker Johann Eckhart and Erdinger sculptor Josef Senes. The sculptures are by Christian Jorhan of Landshut; the ceiling painting was created in 1765 by Munich court painter Johann Martin Heigl.

The pilgrimage is also part of the town’s history: it began in the 17th century and continued until the end of the 18th century. The religious past therefore extends beyond the individual works of art, while remaining firmly rooted in its historical period.

The history of technology at the Eicher Museum

Another aspect of the town’s history is reflected in the collection at the Eicher Museum in Forstern. It includes narrow-gauge tractors for wine and fruit growing, as well as the Eicher Farm-Express, a Bavarian interpretation of a pick-up truck. These examples turn the spotlight on agricultural technology and on a vehicle that offers its own Bavarian take on the pick-up concept. Compared with the church art in Tading, the collection highlights a distinctly different theme.

More to explore in the wider Erding destination

In the wider Erding destination, the Erdinger Bauernhausmuseum offers a distinct way to explore the history of rural life. It comprises 15 historic buildings relocated from the district of Erding and presents traditional rural livelihoods and ways of life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. While the Church of the Assumption focuses on individual works of art, including its altar, devotional image and ceiling painting, the open-air museum turns its attention to buildings and everyday history.

Another historical attraction is the former home and studio of Franz Xaver Stahl, furnished with historical furniture. The Biedermeier house dates from around 1840; the artist’s former studio has been preserved unchanged since his death. The wider Erding destination thus puts both rural architectural history and a preserved living and working environment in focus.

Town history and trails

Guided tours in Erding give residents and visitors insight into the history of the town and its buildings. A tour of the town tower takes you up one of the oldest buildings in the town. After 163 steps, you reach a height of 35 metres. From there, the view stretches across Erding and the surrounding area as far as Munich; on föhn-wind days, the Alpine panorama comes into view too.

Trail lengths and times vary: hiking trails in Erding are between 5.9 and 15 kilometres long, with estimated walking times ranging from one and a half to five hours. The themed trails take around an hour and lead through the old town, neighbourhoods or in the footsteps of painters. One hiking trail leads to Indorf and the Church of St Martin. The district of Erding also has more than 28 varied, well-signposted cycle routes. If you are comparing activities for your stay, the shorter themed trails and longer hikes offer different time commitments.

You can reach the Erdinger Bauernhausmuseum on city bus routes 523 and 524 and regional bus routes 561 and 562, getting off at the “Erding-Freilichtmuseum” stop. Check connections before you travel. A farmers’ market takes place on the museum grounds every Friday from 12:00 to 16:30. Farmers from the district of Erding offer local and seasonal goods and food there. Market hours may change, so check them before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Oberding, Neuching, Langenpreising, Buch Am Buchrain, Dorfen, Fraunberg, Walpertskirchen, Steinkirchen.

See the full travel overview: Erding.