Linden: Churches, History and Cycling Tour

Church history and a tour through forests and meadows give Linden two distinct themes to explore. The Catholic branch church of St. Mary and Maternus represents a long historical timeline; the Great Dietramszell Cycling Tour passes through Linden and continues on to Baiernrain. This offers culture and outdoor activity as distinct focal points for planning your trip.

Church History in Linden

The Catholic branch church of St. Mary and Maternus, also known as Mary of the Seven Sorrows, spans a long historical timeline. Medieval and early modern findings lie beneath the church and its predecessor buildings; the present church was built around 1500. What makes it particularly appealing to those interested in history is the contrast between the present building and the older findings: both belong to different periods in the history of the church.

At the time of its first documented mention, the churches of Linden and Lochen belonged to Tegernsee Abbey.

Another aspect of the area’s religious heritage is the pilgrimage church of St. Leonhard. It stands in an idyllic setting at the edge of the forest, on the road between Dietramszell and Linden. Its location at the forest’s edge and on the road between the two places defines its regional character—a different setting from the branch church of St. Mary and Maternus, whose history is shaped by the findings beneath the building and its predecessors.

Cycling through Forests and Meadows

The Great Dietramszell Cycling Tour passes through forests and meadows, goes through Linden and past the Linden Ecological Academy, then continues on to Baiernrain. Its route provides an active counterpoint to the cultural and historical themes: here, the focus is on the landscape and the named places along the way. If you include the cycling tour in your travel plans, you can decide whether you would prefer to focus on outdoor activity or the history of the churches.

A Recurring Event in the Broader Destination of Dietramszell

The Lehards in the broader destination of Dietramszell traditionally takes place on the third Saturday in July. The festival includes processions, a parade on horseback, a blessing and a fair. This recurring tradition offers a specific highlight for July trips; the date for each year should be checked separately.

Church Art and Architectural History in the Broader Destination of Dietramszell

In the broader destination of Dietramszell, you can discover church art through specific attributions. Johann Baptist Zimmermann, Franz Xaver Schmädl and Philipp Jakob Rämpl contributed to the interior of the former monastery church, now the parish church of the Assumption of Mary in Dietramszell. The altars and pulpit in the pilgrimage church of St. Leonhard are by Philipp Rämpl; according to tradition, he created his greatest and finest work there.

The churches’ architectural history also marks distinct periods. The former parish church, now the monastery church of St. Martin, was built in 1717. On the west side of the late Gothic cemetery church of Kreuzbichl, Provost Georg Wagner added a chapel with a tower in 1641, in honor of Our Lady of Einsiedel in Switzerland. The Totenkerker Chapel was built on the south side of the cemetery church in 1666. It was sold to the von Schilcher family in 1826 and serves as a family crypt.

If the Lehards is to determine when you travel, check the date for the specific year before planning around it. For a trip focused on church history or cycling, first decide which theme you want to shape your stay.

More Destinations

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