Those choosing Dietramszell for cultural discoveries will find tangible points of interest in its churches and chapels: the fresco, altars and pulpit can be attributed to named artists; at Kreuzbichl Cemetery Church, two chapels tell different stories of construction and use. Circular walks also lead through the municipality. This lets you explore local history and trails with woodland or elevated sections as different highlights of your stay.
Church Art and Architectural History
The dome fresco in the pilgrimage church of St. Leonhard is by Christian Wink. The altars and pulpit were created by Philipp Rämpl; according to the traditional description, it was his greatest and finest work. This brings two different artists into focus: Christian Wink with the fresco, and Philipp Rämpl with the altars and pulpit.
Johann Baptist Zimmermann, Franz Xaver Schmädl and Philipp Jakob Rämpl contributed to the interior decoration of the former monastery church, now the parish church of the Assumption of Mary in Dietramszell. These three names offer another way to discover local art, while the church’s former and present functions show its role in local history.
St. Martin, formerly a parish church and now a monastery church, was built in 1717. Together with the Assumption of Mary, it illustrates two different changes of function: St. Martin changed from a parish church into a monastery church, while the Assumption of Mary changed from a monastery church into a parish church.
The two chapel histories at the Late Gothic Kreuzbichl Cemetery Church can be distinguished. In 1641, Provost Georg Wagner had a chapel with a tower added on the west side in honor of Our Lady of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. On the south side, the Totenkerker Chapel was built in 1666. It was sold to the von Schilcher family in 1826 and serves as a family crypt. The year of construction, location and later use give each chapel its own place in the church’s history.
Maria Elend and the History of Its Name
The pilgrimage church of Maria Elend lies about one kilometer south of Dietramszell, on a forest track. To the east is a Baroque wooden gallery, beneath which almost all the surviving votive images are now gathered. To the west, a Rococo altarpiece rises above the altar. The two sides of the church offer different architectural details to explore more closely.
The name also has its own linguistic history: “Elend” is pronounced “illat” in the local dialect and derives from “alilanti” via “elilanti.” Its meaning is given as “other land,” “foreign land,” “borderland” or land outside the municipal boundary. The architecture, votive images and origin of the name make Maria Elend a distinct stop for anyone interested in church art and local history.
Two Circular Walks in the Municipality
One circular walk leads from Dietramszell Monastery via the pilgrimage church of Maria Elend and Zeller Forest to the Green Wayside Shrine. It then follows a forest track past a large gravel pit to the PelletsmĂĽhle gravel road. The return route descends toward the monastery. The route combines named points of interest with a woodland section and a return along the gravel road.
The Peretshofener Höhe circular walk leads from St. Leonhard via Großegelsee, Humbach and Steinsberg, crossing the heights to Peretshofen. From the heights, there are sweeping views of the mountains and Alpine foothills. The difference is clear when choosing between them: one circular walk passes Maria Elend and goes through Zeller Forest; the other connects several named places and offers wide-ranging views from the heights. Trail conditions may vary; check conditions before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Eurasburg, Schlehdorf, GaiĂźach, Kochel Am See, Jachenau, Wackersberg. Discover more places: Hechenberg, Linden.
Go to the main travel overview: Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.
