Cham: Urban History, Archaeology and Art

Cham is a city with a history of more than 1,000 years, where the historic old town, archaeological traces and art tell different stories. The city walk leads through the historic old town; the accompanying digital brochure is available to download. This lets you choose whether to focus your stay on urban history, early settlement or different aspects of art.

From Early Traces to Urban History

The Prehistoric Exhibition at Cordonhaus Cham explores the prehistory and early history of the municipality of Cham and its immediate surroundings, as well as the Cham-Furth Basin. Distribution and find-site maps, archaeological finds and explanatory texts offer insight into traces of the first human visits and settlements. The maps put the distribution and find sites into context; the finds and texts add to this picture of the region’s history.

Cordonhaus itself is also part of the historic setting: the building on the inner city wall dates from the 16th century. Its courtyard, with arcades and a covered walkway, is unique in Cham. Alongside the exhibition themes, visitors can therefore explore a historic building and its distinctive courtyard design. Those interested in architecture will find a different way into the city’s history here than in the archaeological exhibition.

Art Across Different Eras

The SPUR Museum is housed in the former poorhouse of the city of Cham, which has been home to the museum, jointly run by the city and district, since 1991. The late Gothic building is situated on the Regen River; its history dates back to the 16th century. At the museum, the SPUR group presents paintings, sculptures and works on paper from 1957 to 1965, in the styles of Abstract Expressionism and Art Informel. This clearly defined period provides a concrete framework for exploring the works on display and the two art movements.

The Municipal Cordonhaus Gallery Cham offers a different focus, with contemporary art in temporary exhibitions. It features works by regional artists as well as renowned artists from across Germany. Unlike the presentation of the SPUR group, which is set within a specific period, the focus here is on changing exhibitions of contemporary art. Together, the two venues offer different perspectives on art, so you do not have to limit yourself to just one era.

Putting the Old Town and Its Surroundings in Context

The Cham Tourist Information Office is located on the market square in the heart of the old town. It offers information materials in various languages, tickets for events and an interactive history of the town. If you would like to use any of these services, it is worth checking the latest details before your visit.

Nearby is the Am Fluss Regen Experience Region around Cham, in the Upper Bavarian Forest Nature Park. Forests and meadows characterize the region, which is crossed by the Regen River. This distinction can help you decide what you would like to focus on, without assuming a particular route or distance.

You can also explore Chammünster as another destination.

Discover more destinations: Neukirchen Heiligblut, Treffelstein, Wald, Grafenwiesen, Zell, Stamsried, Zandt.

Go to the main travel overview: Cham.