Discover Witzmannsberg

The Maria Bründl pilgrimage chapel near Witzmannsberg and a remarkable pilgrimage story give the area a distinctive cultural point of interest. The wider Passau travel region offers more to explore: historic buildings, cycling and hiking trails, nature experiences and events. When choosing accommodation, it helps to decide first whether Maria Bründl will be your main focus or whether you also plan to visit other destinations in the Passauer Land.

Maria Bründl and the pilgrimage story

The Maria Bründl pilgrimage chapel near Witzmannsberg was restored and renovated in 1975. A special story is associated with a bronze-cast Madonna of the Protective Mantle: in 2018, the 32.5-kilogram statue was carried 175 kilometres from Příbram, from Svatá Hora (Holy Mountain), to Witzmannsberg on a four-day foot pilgrimage.

There is an audio guide station at the Bründl Chapel. The chapel is also an important stop on the VIA NOVA pilgrimage route. This brings a specific place to visit and a larger pilgrimage route together in one location.

Cycling and hiking trails in the wider area

In the wider region, the Danube–Ilz Cycle Path runs from the Danube at Niederalteich through the Sonnenwald and the Dreiburgenland, along the Ilz Valley to Kalteneck/Hutthurm.

The Danube Cycle Path also runs through the Passauer Land within the wider Passau travel region. Following an assessment by the German Cyclists’ Association, it received a 4-star rating. If this award is important to your route choice, check its current certification status. For hiking, the Passauer Land highlights the Granite Adventure Trail around Hauzenberg and the Smugglers’ Trail in the Danube Pearls.

Culture and nature in the wider Passau travel region

The Bavarian Forest Museum Village in Tittling offers another way to explore cultural history. It is one of Europe’s largest open-air museums. On 20 hectares, visitors can see more than 100 residential and farm buildings from the Bavarian Forest, dating from 1580 to 1890. The museum village includes farms, mills, sawmills, smithies, chapels and field monuments. A notable historical landmark is Germany’s oldest primary school, dating from 1666. The history of the individual pilgrimage chapel near Witzmannsberg and the museum village’s diverse buildings and everyday artefacts appeal to different interests.

Nature and landscape are also part of the wider Passau travel region in various locations. The Haus am Strom nature experience centre is situated in the narrow Danube valley between Bavaria and Austria, below Untergriesbach. The Passauer Land is shaped by rivers, forests and thermal spas; well-known thermal springs are located in Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach. This variety of places and themes can help you decide before your trip which excursions, in addition to visiting Maria Bründl, matter to you.

For culture lovers, Ortenburg Castle Culture adds to the offerings in the wider Passau travel region. The event series organised by the Friends of Ortenburg Castle runs from April to December and includes musical events, cabaret performances, spooky nights at Ortenburg Castle, lectures and guided tours. As dates are seasonal, check the specific event dates when planning a visit.

Choose the right accommodation

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ruderting, Windorf, Sonnen, Beutelsbach, Aidenbach, Neukirchen Vorm Wald, Thyrnau, Fürstenstein.

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