Ottobeuren is a pleasant town located not far from Memmingen in Germany’s Bavarian Allgäu region. The town’s major landmark is the historic Ottobeuren Abbey, located at the edge of the central town square.
The abbey was founded in 764 by Silach, a German nobleman, and dedicated to St. Alexander of Rome and St. Theodor of Sitten. This magnificent Baroque style abbey complex, together with its basilica, was built in 1737–1766 by Simpert Kraemer (until 1748) and Johann Michael Fischer and adorned with dome and ceiling frescoes and altar pictures by the cousins Johann Jakob and Franz Anton Zeiller from the Tyrol. It is dedicated to St. Alexander and St. Theodor.
The Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren is also known as “the Swabian Escorial”
The choir stalls are one of the finest examples of Southern German Baroque style. The focal point of the church is a Romanesque crucifix dating from around 1220.
Classical concerts are held in the abbey church and in the prestigious Kaisersaal as part of the Ottobeurer concert series, sometimes featuring world-famous conductors. The abbey library, which dates back to the time when the abbey was founded, is an important part of the overall artistry of the abbey architecture, featuring magnificent ceiling paintings by Elias Zobel and stucco ceilings by Johann Baptist Zimmermann.
On Saturday afternoons at 4:00 pm an organ concert is held in the basilica, featuring the famous Riepp organ and the large organ known as the Marienorgel.
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.