Standing in contrast to the Gothic and Roman Cathedrals of Frankfurt, Cologne and Trier The Pilgrimage Church of Wies appears as a bright white structure on approach of Steingaden, the relatively humble exterior in no way preparing visitors for the glorious Rococco spectacle inside. Built between 1745 and 1754 to house a statue said to have shed tears, and designated by UNESCO in 1983, do put this on a list of places to visit when traveling through Bavaria. read more

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This place is one of my favourite spots to visit in Bavaria. The first time we visited here was four years ago in the winter and, this place was standing almost all by itself in the middle of nowhere. I was in awe when we walked into this empty church and looked around. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site and is my favourite church in Bavaria. The insides are done in traditional Bavarian style with beautiful paintings all throughout and beautifully sculpted walls and statues. Take the time to sit down and observe all the detail and enjoy the peaceful surrounding of the church. A must visit in Bavaria. read more

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Wies Church is just outside the region of the Fairy Tale Castle (Neuschwanstein). Lovely tribute to the rococo style. It's also called the Church In the Meadow & its pics will clearly show you why Inside there are very elaborate paintings & gilding against stark white columns - makes for an extremely ornate backdrop This church was made especially famous in the 1700s when a farmer and his wife saw the wooden statue of Christ chained to a tree, cry real tears. Since then, many people make a pilgrimage to this site to honor the event, see some gorgeous artwork & admire & appreciate the people who made this dedication Did we see any tears? No but then again, we were too busy looking at all the other gorgeous adornments around the place read more

Absolutely the most beautiful church I have ever set foot in. Stunning, gorgeous rococo architecture! Should not be missed if you are in the area. I've visited more than once, but the most memorable for me was when I took my dad. He grew up in Germany and even served as an altar boy for a time so he had an interest in Catholicism. He always loved the grandeur of the European churches, but had never seen the Wieskirche. What a treat it was to take him here and see his eyes light up when he walked in the door. We were all awestruck by the churches beauty, but he was just floored by the experience. Now I was baptized Catholic, but I can't say that I am a big church goer or even agree with tenets of the Catholic faith. However, this church definitely makes you feel spiritual. Take your time and enjoy as much as you can of this beauty. I can pretty much guarantee you will want to come back for another visit. read more

Oh, the Wieskirche! A World UNESCO Heritage Site! A lovely tribute to Roccoco architecture! And, alas, the church where I found out that I am highly allergic to its incense and nearly had to pull out an epipen (and then realized that I had forgotten to bring an epipen to Germany). Oh the joys. Now to find out if it's just the Wieskirche "brand" of incense or if I am destined to never become Catholic. There's not much in Wies other than the church & a few souvenir shops and homes. We paid our few euros in the parking machine before heading up past the cows to the church. I only got a few good looks before I ended up trying to reset my lungs outside, so I had to take in most of it via digital photographs in the car on the way back to our hotel. It is very, very beautiful. Don't let the outside fool you. If you are looking for reasonably priced tourist schlub souvenirs, the prices at Wies are actually really reasonable. I procured a little teddy bear Christmas ornament wearing leiderhosen and the cute little hat for only 3 or 4 euros...seen at other sites for double or triple that. read more

Wow, what an unexpected delight. We were on a swing through Austria, seeing the sights, and got on a Schloss-Neuschwanstein tour that stopped at this little gem. I did not expect to see this in the middle of Bavaria. We saw a lot of great cathedrals in Salzburg, Vienna, Innsbruck, etc., but this one was unexpected and I guess that is what made it so delightful. Definitely worth the stop if you like old churches. read more