Hohenlinden is almost entirely surrounded by forests—and is also the site of a significant battle: On December 3, 1800, French troops under General Moreau faced the allied Bavarian and Austrian troops under Archduke John. The combination of landscape and history gives the town a clear focus for an exploratory trip. The municipal area is almost entirely encircled by the Ebersberger Forst, Großhaager Forst, Mittbacher Au and Lindacher Wald; only to the northeast does the belt of forest open up. Cycling and hiking trails lead through Hohenlinden and its surroundings.
The Battle Museum: History on a Small Scale
The museum “The Battle of Hohenlinden” is located in the basement of the primary school and occupies two rooms. Visits are possible only by arranging an appointment by telephone with the museum director; please confirm the appointment before your visit. At its heart is a detailed model of the battle: 7,500 tin soldiers in period uniforms, with period equipment and weapons, show the positions of the armies in the early afternoon of December 3, 1800.
Other exhibits range from period books and prints to rifles, sabres, helmets, bullets and horseshoes. Notable loans include a votive tablet commemorating the engagement of farmer Stephan Rumpfinger to the Virgin Mary. The Treaties of Lunéville are also among the topics visitors can explore. A multimedia system lets visitors choose topics; the battle can also be recreated as a strategy game. The museum thus focuses not only on military formations but also on different ways of engaging with history.
Churches and Notable Buildings
The Old Church of the Visitation of Mary is considered an outstanding building of Ebersberg Abbey. Its wall pillars support a Gothic net vault; two keystones are carved with the Visitation of Mary and the Massacre of the Innocents. Those interested in religious architecture will find specific architectural details here, rather than just a general historical account.
Another landmark in the town’s history is the “Mary in the Field” chapel. It was consecrated on June 16, 2002, between Hohenlinden and Preisendorf, near the district boundary, within the Hohenlinden municipal area. The tower of St. Joseph’s Church is also visible from far away: It is 70 metres high in total and appears as a pointed needle from every point of the Hohenlinden gravel plain. These buildings make distinct impressions—from vault and keystone ornamentation to a church tower that can be seen from far away.
Cycling and Hiking Trails in the Surrounding Area
For a cycling trip, consider the approximately 52-kilometre “The Battle of Hohenlinden” loop. It runs clockwise to 17 destinations around Hohenlinden, described as the main battle sites. There are benches at the destinations and along the way; check the specific route details and facilities locally. The loop combines exercise with places connected to the historical events.
The Hohenlinder SauschĂĽtt is also nearby, in the Ebersberger Forst. There are three wildlife enclosures with red deer, fallow deer and wild boar, which can often be seen up close in their natural habitat. A 3.2-kilometre, accessible forest nature trail loop starts right beside the SauschĂĽtt; around two hours are suggested for exploring it. The two options differ considerably in the time they take: the nature trail is described as a shorter loop, while the cycling route around Hohenlinden covers approximately 52 kilometres.
Forest and Museum Attractions in Ebersberg
The wider travel destination of Ebersberg offers additional attractions located there. In the Ebersberger Forst, an observation tower rises 169 steps; in good visibility, the view extends across the Alpine foothills from the Berchtesgaden Alps to the Allgäu, and exceptionally clear conditions may even reveal distant peaks over 3,000 metres high. The Forest and Environment Museum has stood right beside the Ebersberger Forst since 2004 and is dedicated to the history of forest use and forest ecology. The Ebersberger Forst environmental education centre offers educational activities there, mainly outdoors and in the adjacent forest, focused on education for sustainable development. Visits with school classes or other groups are possible.
Discover more destinations: Forstinning, Ebersberg, Baiern, Vaterstetten, Pliening, Glonn, Oberpframmern, Grafing bei MĂĽnchen.
Back to the main travel overview: Ebersberg.
