The initial impact upon opening the doors is one of amazement and awe at the elaborate over the top decoration inside. I've visited a fair few Central European pilgrimage churches, however I never quite have my mind calibrated to expect that the sometimes dull mayonnaise hued exteriors will hide such lustrous treats inside, and Wieskirche certainly has the biggest juxtaposition between the exterior and interior.

These glorious pilgrimage churches were an integral part of the counter-reformation; the ornate over the top decoration was seen as a celebration of the glory of God and a stark contrast to the white washed protestant churches. It must have provided an astonishing presence for the people travelling for miles through the local fields. Perhaps that is why it is a now a little awkward to visit by public transport, with bus connections not really being that useful. Having said that it is very much on the tourist trail and the large car parks accommodating numerous coaches show that it is certainly well visited, making it even nicer when we had it to ourselves for a few minutes.

For some reason this church has sat quite high in my mind since I first saw pictures of it, so I have been anticipating a visit for a while. I eventually managed to head down with a good friend whilst he was working in the area, and although it was pouring with rain it proved to be an enjoyable trip, especially when twinned with a quick visit to Ludwig II's castles a little further south on the Romantic Road.

Wieskirche could be a rather awkward and swift place to visit, and may not quite reward the effort put into arriving there for some, however it proved to be an easy trip for me and the flamboyant decoration certainly makes an impact.

[Site 6: Experience 5]