The German Apine Road
July 31, 2012
In 724 St. Pirmin came to Reichenau, the largest island in Lake Constance, cleared the forests and founded a monastery. The three churches connected with it, built between the 9th and 11th centuries, have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The prehistoric lake dwellings in Unteruhldingen are also a World Heritage Site on Lake Constance. The open-air Pile Dwelling Museum features reconstructions of villages with these houses on stilts, from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age.
On the eastern shore of Lake Constance, starting at Lindau, we follow the German Alpine Road, considered the oldest holiday route in Germany. The many sights along the route include the royal castles near Füssen.
The hamlet of Wies, near Steingaden, is home to a pilgrimage church. In the early 18th century, a peasant woman is said to have seen a wooden statue of the crucified Christ shed tears. For the pilgrims who followed, a magnificent church was built. It's a masterpiece of Bavarian rococo art and architecture.
From Visit Germany
Editor: Helen Whittle