On a June morning in 1738, in the hamlet of Steingaden in the Bavarian foothills, a farmwoman named Maria Lory noticed something extraordinary. The wooden statue of the Scourged Savior—a discarded processional figure she had taken into her home—appeared to be weeping. Drops of moisture gathered in the carved eyes of Christ, bound and beaten before his crucifixion. Word spread through the Alpine valleys with the speed of wildfire. Within weeks, pilgrims were streaming to the Lory farmhouse, and reports of miraculous healings began to multiply.
The local Premonstratensian monks of Steingaden Abbey initially viewed the phenomenon with caution, but the evidence proved overwhelming. By 1740, a small wooden chapel had been erected in the meadow where the statue now resided, yet even this proved insufficient for the crowds. In 1745, Abbot Marianus II commissioned the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann to create a permanent sanctuary worthy of the miraculous image. What emerged over the next decade would become one of the supreme achievements of Bavarian Rococo art—the Wieskirche, the "Church in the Meadow," now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited pilgrimage churches in Germany.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The origins of the Wieskirche devotion trace back not to 1738 but to 1730, when monks of Steingaden Abbey created a figure of the Gegeißelter Heiland—the Scourged Savior—for their Good Friday processions. The statue depicted Christ at the pillar, bound and bloodied, his face contorted in suffering. After a few years, the figure fell out of use, deemed too distressing for public display. It was given to the farmer's wife Maria Lory, who installed it in her modest home as a private devotional image.
The tears that Maria Lory witnessed in June 1738 transformed everything. The statue became known as the "Scourged Savior of Wies" (Der Gegeißelte Heiland auf der Wies), and the pilgrimage that developed around it was one of the largest new devotions to emerge in Catholic Europe during the eighteenth century. By 1749, over 100,000 pilgrims were visiting annually—a remarkable number given the remote Alpine location and the limited transportation of the era.
Construction of the present church began in 1745 under the direction of Dominikus Zimmermann (1685-1766), one of the most gifted architects of the Bavarian Rococo. Zimmermann had already proven his genius at the pilgrimage church of Steinhausen, but at Wies he surpassed even that achievement. Working alongside his brother Johann Baptist Zimmermann (1680-1758), who executed the extraordinary ceiling frescoes, Dominikus created a space of almost impossible lightness and grace.
The church was consecrated on September 1, 1754, dedicated to Christ on the verge of his Passion. The exterior presents a deceptively simple appearance—a white oval structure with a tall choir, set against the backdrop of Alpine meadows. But step inside and the transformation is breathtaking. The interior explodes with color, movement, and light. Pale pinks and blues, gleaming gold leaf, swirling rocaille ornament, and Johann Baptist's triumphant ceiling fresco depicting Christ's throne prepared for the Last Judgment all combine in a symphony of visual exaltation.
Dominikus Zimmermann was so moved by his creation that he built a small house nearby and lived within sight of the Wieskirche until his death in 1766. He is buried in the church he loved.
The pilgrimage has continued without interruption for nearly three centuries. During the secularization that followed the Napoleonic wars, the church narrowly escaped demolition—local farmers purchased it to save the sanctuary from destruction. In 1983, UNESCO inscribed the Wieskirche as a World Heritage Site, recognizing it as "a masterpiece of human creative genius" and "the most perfect example of the Bavarian rococo style."
Today, over one million visitors come annually to this meadow church in the Bavarian Alps. Many are tourists drawn by the extraordinary art, but countless others are genuine pilgrims who come to kneel before the Scourged Savior and seek the intercession of Christ in his suffering for their own burdens and afflictions.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Steingaden
Wieskirche (Pilgrimage Church of Wies)
Wallfahrtskirche zum Gegeißelten Heiland auf der Wies
The Wieskirche stands in splendid isolation in an Alpine meadow, its white exterior belying the Rococo explosion within. The church is organized around an oval nave that draws the eye irresistibly toward the high altar and the miraculous statue of the Scourged Savior. The figure of Christ, bound to a pillar with his hands tied behind his back, wears a red velvet cloak and stands beneath a golden baldachin. Pilgrims traditionally approach the altar rail to venerate the image, though the original 1730 statue is now displayed separately for conservation reasons.
The ceiling fresco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann depicts the throne prepared for Christ's return in judgment, with the gates of heaven shown open and the rainbow throne awaiting. The entire composition suggests that the suffering Christ below and the glorious Christ above are one and the same—the path through Calvary leading to resurrection.
Notable features include the extraordinary pulpit carved with reliefs of the four evangelists, the choir stalls with their delicate rocaille ornament, and the side altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. The organ, installed in 1757, retains its original Baroque mechanism and is still used for concerts.
Steingaden Abbey (Kloster Steingaden)
Premonstratensian Abbey of St. John the Baptist
The abbey that gave birth to the Wieskirche devotion lies in the town of Steingaden itself, approximately 4 kilometers from the pilgrimage church. Founded in 1147 by Duke Welf VI, the Premonstratensian monastery was one of the most important religious houses in Upper Bavaria for nearly seven centuries. The original Romanesque basilica was substantially rebuilt in the Baroque period, though the west tower retains its medieval character.
The abbey was dissolved in 1803 during the secularization, and the monastic buildings now serve as parish facilities. The abbey church of St. John the Baptist remains in active use and contains fine Baroque furnishings, including high altar paintings depicting the life of the Baptist. The cloister preserves fragments of Romanesque stonework, and the abbey garden offers a peaceful retreat.
Pilgrims to the Wieskirche often combine their visit with a stop at the mother church where the Scourged Savior statue was originally created.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of the Scourged Savior — Second Sunday after Pentecost
The principal pilgrimage feast draws thousands of faithful to the Wieskirche for a solemn High Mass and Eucharistic procession. The celebration honors the miraculous tears of 1738 and includes veneration of the sacred image. Bishop or episcopal representatives from the Diocese of Augsburg typically preside.
Good Friday Procession — March/April
In keeping with the devotion's origins in Passion meditation, the Wieskirche holds a particularly moving Good Friday liturgy. The church's entire artistic program—the Scourged Savior, the Passion imagery, the promise of resurrection in the ceiling fresco—finds its fullest expression on this day.
Patronal Feast of St. John the Baptist — June 24
The feast day of the patron saint of Steingaden Abbey is celebrated with special solemnity at the abbey church in Steingaden village. Traditional Bavarian festivities follow the religious observances.
Assumption of Mary — August 15
The Mariä Himmelfahrt is observed throughout Catholic Bavaria with particular devotion. At the Wieskirche, the day features the traditional blessing of herbs (Kräuterweihe), following the Bavarian custom associating Mary's assumption with the flowering of creation.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotel Moser ⭐⭐⭐ — Traditional Bavarian gasthof just 500 meters from the Wieskirche, offering simple but comfortable rooms with mountain views. On-site restaurant serves hearty regional cuisine. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Romantik Hotel Hirsch ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — In Füssen (25 km), this historic hotel offers more refined accommodation with spa facilities. Excellent base for combining the Wieskirche with Neuschwanstein Castle. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Landhotel Mayer ⭐⭐⭐ — Family-run hotel in Steingaden village, 4 km from the pilgrimage church. Restaurant and beer garden with views of the Alps. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Gästehaus Wieskirche (pilgrim accommodation) — Simple guesthouse directly beside the pilgrimage church, operated for pilgrims seeking overnight accommodation near the sanctuary. Contact the parish office for availability.
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Munich Airport (MUC) is approximately 100 km northeast, with connections to all major European and international destinations. Memmingen Airport (FMM), used primarily by budget carriers, is 45 km west.
By Train: The nearest railway station is Weilheim (Oberbayern), approximately 30 km east. From Munich Hauptbahnhof, regional trains reach Weilheim in about one hour. From Weilheim, bus connection 9651 runs to Steingaden (approximately 45 minutes), with limited service continuing to the Wieskirche.
By Bus: Regional bus service 9651 connects Weilheim station with Steingaden and the Wieskirche. Service is limited, especially on Sundays; check schedules in advance. Organized pilgrimage buses from Munich are available during peak season.
By Car: From Munich, take the A95 south toward Garmisch-Partenkirchen, exit at Penzberg, and follow signs to Steingaden via the B472 and regional roads. From Füssen, head northeast on the B17 toward Steingaden. Large parking area adjacent to the Wieskirche (free parking, donation encouraged).
On Foot: The Wieskirche lies along the Münchner Jakobsweg, the Munich variant of the Way of St. James. Pilgrims walking from Munich toward Switzerland pass directly through Steingaden.
📚 Further Reading
Peter Stepan. Die Wieskirche — Detailed guide to the church's architecture and iconography (in German).
🔗 Useful Links
Wieskirche Official — Pilgrimage church website with visiting hours and Mass schedule.
UNESCO World Heritage — Wieskirche heritage listing.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Ettal (20 km south) — Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian's magnificent 1330 foundation, with its miraculous marble Madonna and spectacular Baroque dome. The Benedictine abbey offers retreat accommodation and is renowned for its monastery liqueur and brewery.
Oberammergau (22 km south) — The village whose residents have performed the Passion Play every decade since 1634, fulfilling a vow made during plague. Next performance: 2030.
Andechs (65 km northeast) — Bavaria's oldest pilgrimage site on the Heiliger Berg, where Benedictine monks guard relics of Christ including fragments of the True Cross. Famous monastery brewery.
Altötting (140 km east) — Germany's most important Marian shrine, where the Black Madonna has been venerated since 1489. The heart of the Bavarian spiritual landscape.
Füssen and the Royal Castles (25 km southwest) — While not a pilgrimage site per se, the town contains the fine Baroque church of St. Mang, and nearby Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles draw many visitors who combine them with the Wieskirche.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"The Wieskirche is a work of art that can transport the visitor, whether believer or not, to a realm of beauty that speaks of the divine. Here, architecture, painting, sculpture, and the Alpine landscape combine to create a unified vision of salvation history." — UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Inscription Decision, 1983
Standing before the Scourged Savior, pilgrims find themselves confronted with the mystery at the heart of Christian faith: that God chose to enter human suffering, to be bound and beaten, mocked and crowned with thorns. The tears that flowed from this wooden image in 1738 remind us that Christ's Passion was not a mere historical event but a living reality that touches every human sorrow. The Zimmermann brothers' response to this mystery was to create a space of radiant joy—not denying the suffering but proclaiming its redemptive purpose. The Wieskirche stands as an invitation to pass through the Cross to resurrection, from the Scourged Christ below to the throne prepared above.
