Boos brings together Sebastian Kneipp’s history with church art, religious customs and walks through extensive woodland. On 20 January 1853—his name day—Kneipp was transferred to Boos as a chaplain at the age of 31. This specific biographical connection offers a distinctive starting point for the town’s history; other themes range from works of art in the churches to forests and the village square. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can decide whether local history, religious customs or time spent outdoors should be the focus of your trip.
Church art and local history
The history of the parish church of St Martin comprises several clearly distinguishable periods. In 1713, the church was extended and remodelled in the Baroque style by the Fugger family. The valuable ceiling paintings, depicting guardian angels, were created by Guggenberger and Scherer in 1860. The church’s most valuable statue was made by Ivo Strigel around 1480. Together, these details place St Martin in context, from the late 15th century through the Baroque remodelling to the 19th-century paintings. This gives the church a clear art-historical focus within the town’s profile.
The parish church of St Anne in Reichau was built by Max Treu of Augsburg. The mountain chapel is situated on a hill east of the parish church of St Martin in Boos. The focus on cultural history therefore extends beyond St Martin: Reichau and the hill east of the parish church are also among the municipality’s named religious sites.
Kneipp heritage, forests and customs
Kneipp heritage is also evident at two specific locations: a Kneipp fountain stands in Boos village square, and a water-treading facility is located at the edge of the forest. Boos’s extensive woodland also invites you to enjoy relaxing walks. Alongside local history, nature and the area’s Kneipp heritage are therefore among the themes to explore during your stay.
The customs of the parish of St Martin include rogation processions, Perpetual Adoration, mountain Masses and pilgrimages on foot. These range from processions made together to forms of adoration and worship on the mountain. The parish also holds a parish festival every July. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the parish’s specific dates in advance.
Boos in the Unterallgäu
Another aspect of local history is the dairy industry. From 1902 to 1973, Boos was home to a teaching and experimental institute run by the dairy association in the Allgäu. It developed into an important training centre for making soft cheese and butter. Thus, the overview of the town also includes an aspect of economic and educational history alongside religious art and customs.
To explore beyond the town itself, Boos can be considered in the wider context of the Unterallgäu. The Iller forms the region’s natural western boundary and the Wertach its eastern boundary. The region is served by the A7 and A96 motorways; an extensive road network, rail connections and Allgäu Airport in Memmingerberg further enhance regional accessibility. Cycle and hiking trails throughout the district are consistently signposted; there are also the Glückswege (Paths of Happiness). This helps distinguish the local themes of Boos from the wider travel and trail offerings of the Unterallgäu.
Discover more destinations: Ettringen, Rammingen, Winterrieden, Stetten, Memmingerberg, Mindelheim, Buxheim, Ottobeuren.
For the wider travel overview: Unterallgäu.
