Discover Penzing

Penzing can be viewed through two very different chapters of its religious history: the story of the Frauenkapelle at the southern edge of the village and the building history of the Catholic parish church of St. Martin. Visitors who enjoy considering historical accounts and architecture together will find specific names, dates and changes here, rather than a single, uniform local history.

Frauenkapelle and St. Martin: two historical strands

The Frauenkapelle, also known as the field chapel, was built and endowed in 1722 at the southern edge of Penzing by Simon Erhart, a priest in Bergen, and Johann Wiedemann, a Penzing wheelwright. The names of these two men recall the shared involvement of a clergyman and a craftsman in the chapel. In 1806, lightning struck the building; due to a lack of funds, it could not be rebuilt. The December 2022 community bulletin names the bell as the only surviving part. Its inscription reads “Johanns Windaman von Penzing 1723,” preserving a name and a year from the chapel’s history.

The parish church of St. Martin offers a different historical perspective: its core dates from the 15th century, and around 1719 it was extended and given a Baroque makeover. Two different stories thus sit side by side: the field chapel’s historical arc is shaped by its endowment and subsequent loss, while St. Martin brings together an older building core and a transformation in the early 18th century. This distinction brings Penzing’s religious history to life without treating the two buildings as if they belonged to a single period.

Landsberg Am Lech: urban history and culture

The wider destination of Landsberg Am Lech offers further historical themes. The Bayertor in Landsberg am Lech has stood since 1425 and is considered one of Bavaria’s finest Gothic structures. The Mutterturm is an exceptional monument to Historicism, built by Herkomer in honour of his mother. Both buildings give the city’s history a distinctive architectural focus.

The Landsberg am Lech City Museum explores the city’s history and connects it with issues of the present day. Situated on the Leitenberg, it offers one of the finest views of the city of Landsberg. Guided tours of the old town also cover a wide range of historical topics: dukes and electors, the salt trade and raftsmen, dyers and tanners, Jesuits and Ursulines, and legends from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Thus, Penzing foregrounds the history of the field chapel and the development of St. Martin, while Landsberg Am Lech offers further cultural perspectives through its city landmarks, museum and guided storytelling.

Lake, river and landscapes in the wider destination

Landscape is also an explicit part of the wider destination of Landsberg Am Lech. Lake Ammersee lies entirely within the district of Landsberg am Lech and is Bavaria’s third-largest lake, after Lake Chiemsee and Lake Starnberg. It is a popular local recreation destination, offering boat trips, water sports and attractive lakeside promenades. Sporting and cultural activities in the natural setting of the Bavarian Alpine Foreland round out the range of lake-related experiences.

The LechErlebnisWeg offers a different perspective: it starts at Landsberg’s main square and follows the course of the river for much of its length. Lechpark Pössinger Au is the city of Landsberg’s main local recreation area; its landscape includes woodland, meadows and floodplains with animal and plant species that have become rare. Lake, river and floodplain landscapes thus offer distinct interests alongside the city’s history. When planning a trip, this comparison helps you choose the focus you want rather than treating all the themes as a single experience.

Which focus suits your trip?

If you are mainly interested in a place’s religious history, Penzing offers a clear historical focus in the field chapel and St. Martin. If you are more drawn to urban history, water or landscapes, the wider destination of Landsberg Am Lech has other themes to explore.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ramsach, Untermühlhausen, Epfenhausen, Oberbergen, Hurlach, Weil, Thaining, Denklingen.

To the wider travel overview: Landsberg Am Lech.