Altenmarkt a.d.Alz: Alz, Culture and History

The Alz, the town center and far-reaching views

Altenmarkt a.d.Alz brings together riverside scenery, local history and cultural attractions. In good weather, the view from benches in the Altenmarkt municipal area reaches the Berchtesgaden and Chiemgau mountains, the Baumburg monastery church across the river and Altenmarkt’s town center; below, the Alz waterfall rushes by. How far the view reaches also depends on the weather and vegetation. From one vantage point, you can see different sides of the town: the mountains on the horizon, the church across the river and the town center, while the Alz waterfall can be heard below.

Crafts, everyday life and architectural history

The Altenmarkt Local History Museum covers a broad range of local topics. These include the hammer mill, crafts, trade and commerce, as well as church history, agriculture, Altenmarkt’s bridges and the railway. Traditional costumes, historic linens and lace, photography, music in Altenmarkt and the pharmacy are also featured. These topics span work and commerce, everyday life, culture and technology; anyone interested in local history will find a range of ways to explore it, rather than just one historical focus.

The branch church of St. Aegidius in Altenmarkt also tells a story of architectural history: its core dates from the Romanesque period, while the lower part of the tower is Gothic. You can see the contrast between the two building periods directly in the church and tower. This offers a separate way to explore history alongside the many topics covered by the Local History Museum.

Culture and the monastery courtyard

For several years, the Baumburg Summer of Culture has offered a varied program in the courtyard of the former monastery estate. Another cultural highlight is the “Bayropäische Vorweihnachtssmarkt” (Bayropäische Pre-Christmas Market): in November, it showcases gift ideas and distinctive arts and crafts in the atmospheric, illuminated monastery courtyard.

Baumburg Monastery is also home to a traditional brewery whose beers have received multiple awards. Thus, brewing tradition and beer join architectural and local history as part of Altenmarkt’s local identity.

Summer on the Alz

In summer, the Alz’s river meadows are a popular swimming spot for bathers and young people. Families can take inflatable-boat trips along the upper Alz. Swimming in the meadows and taking an inflatable-boat trip are two different ways to include the Alz in your stay. If you’re looking for accommodation in Altenmarkt a.d.Alz, this contrast can help with your travel planning: consider whether your group would prefer to focus on culture and local history or on summer activities by the river.

More to explore in the wider Traunstein destination

The wider Traunstein destination offers even more landscapes and cultural attractions. Traunstein district is home to Lake Chiemsee and Lake Waginger, as well as more than 170 alpine pastures and peaks rising to elevations of up to 2,000 meters in the Chiemgau Alps. The Seeoner Seen lakes are nature reserves in this district, while Lake Waginger and Lake Tachinger are part of a protected landscape area. These attractions give Traunstein a broader scope than the local history and river meadows that define Altenmarkt.

The town of Traunstein also has its own historical focus: preserved saltworks houses and the saltworks chapel offer a glimpse into Traunstein’s significant salt history; the saltworks chapel is the largest chapel in Germany. The historic town walk passes the Klosterkirche Culture Forum and then continues to the saltworks chapel, the saltworks houses and the Salinenpark, established in 2019. The Brewery Museum near Jacklturm is part of the Hofbräuhaus Traunstein. The local history museum in the Heimathaus houses exhibits on civic culture, sacred art and the history of the saltworks.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Taching, Tacherting, Palling, Waldhausen, Traunstein, Unterwössen, Staudach-Egerndach, Grabenstätt.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Traunstein.