Art throughout the village, churches from different periods, and routes through the municipality give Griesstätt several distinctive facets. To get your bearings, it is helpful to distinguish between the village center and other places within the municipality: the fountain and sculpture are associated with specific locations, while hikes and some churches are in the wider municipal area.
Art and History in Griesstätt
The Marienbrunnen (Mary’s Fountain) stands in front of the parish church in the center of the village and is probably the artist’s most notable work in Griesstätt. Another local work is the bronze sculpture of John the Baptist in front of the primary school. Created by Hans Huschka, it depicts the Old and New Testaments, with John the Baptist as the mediator between them. The entrance plaque at the town hall is also one of Huschka’s works in Griesstätt. The fountain, sculpture, and plaque each add a different accent to the village; the sculpture explicitly links its subject to the figure of John.
The history of the place name dates back to its first recorded mention in 924: it appears in a document issued by Duke Arnulf of Bavaria, the so-called Rihni charter. Records from 1205 state that Archbishop Eberhard II of Salzburg gave the church in Griesstätt to the neighboring Attel Monastery. Another early date belongs to the history of the municipal area: the Dominican convent of Altenhohenau, founded by Count Konrad of Wasserburg in 1235, received at its foundation estates that today lie within the municipality of Griesstätt.
Churches in Altenhohenau and Holzhausen
The monastery church of St. Peter and Paul is located in Altenhohenau. It is associated with artistically significant works by Matthäus and Ignaz Günther. The Baroque church was rebuilt around 1670/75, incorporating older sections dating back to 1235. Its building history thus brings together different periods: the Baroque reconstruction and the older elements.
The branch church of Maria Schnee is located in Holzhausen. This small Baroque hall church dates from the second half of the 17th century. Its described features include a western roof turret and the church’s furnishings. Altenhohenau and Holzhausen are places within the municipality, not names for the village center of Griesstätt. Those interested in architectural history can consider the information about the two churches in light of their different descriptions: in Altenhohenau, the reconstruction around 1670/75 and the older building elements are central; in Holzhausen, it is the building style and roof turret.
Hiking and Cycling in the Municipality
The two hikes described differ mainly in the places they pass through. The route in the northern part of the municipality goes through Altenhohenau, Kerschdorf, Streifl, Moosham, and Kettenham to Griesstätt. The hike in the southern part of the municipality runs through Kettenham, Bergham, Holzhausen, Untermühle, and Edenberg to Griesstätt. Kettenham appears in both route descriptions; the other named places help distinguish the northern and southern sequences.
Both the Inn Cycle Path and the Mozartradweg run through the municipality. The eastern variant of the Inn Cycle Path offers a separate route for orientation: the 65-kilometer stage passes through Vogtareuth and Griesstätt and ends in the old town of Wasserburg am Inn. The Inn flows around seven-eighths of it. The two cycle paths are separate routes; the stage described is part of the eastern variant of the Inn Cycle Path.
The Griesstätt municipal administration has a wide selection of hiking and cycling maps. They can be useful for finding your way on foot or by bike. If you need a specific edition, check its availability in advance. This allows the named hiking routes and cycle paths to be considered as different ways of exploring the area, without combining the two activities into a single route.
More to Explore in the Rosenheim Destination
The wider Rosenheim destination also includes independent attractions in Amerang. The museum in Amerang Castle offers insights into castle architecture and the history of the noble family. The Amerang Farmhouse Museum, run by the District of Upper Bavaria, showcases farmhouses, craft buildings, and technical installations from the Chiemgau region. Amerang Open-Air Museum offers individual tours and programs for groups; these offerings may change, and groups may need to make arrangements in advance.
Another highlight is the moorland educational trail between Amerang and Halfing, created in 2010. It explains how the moorland landscape formed after the Ice Age and introduces the native animal and plant life. Thus, in the Rosenheim destination, visitors can explore not only castle history and rural architecture but also landscape formation and nature. These attractions are part of the Rosenheim destination and provide a distinct regional context for the sights and routes in Griesstätt.
Discover more destinations: Riedering, Pfaffing, Oberaudorf, Neubeuern, Söchtenau, Bad Aibling, Kiefersfelden, Höslwang
Back to the main travel overview: Rosenheim.
