Discover Altenmünster: Green village, churches and forest trails

Altenmünster brings together historic village structures, church architecture and forest trails. Baiershofen is home to a distinctive green village, a biotope network lies in the state forest northwest of Altenmünster, and in Violau a pilgrimage church meets an astronomical theme. This gives you different ways to plan your trip, focusing on local history, nature or sacred architecture.

Baiershofen: Green village and church ensemble

Baiershofen, a district of Altenmünster, was established in the first half of the 14th century as a settlement cleared from woodland under the direction of Fultenbach Monastery. The green village is considered a protected ensemble of a characteristic settlement of the central Swabian type, established through woodland clearance. Baiershofen’s village green is also considered one of the best-preserved village greens in Bavaria. The green forms the centre of the ensemble; the parish church of St. Leonhard stands there, free-standing and surrounded by a cemetery.

St. Leonhard is a Baroque building consecrated in 1730, incorporating older sections, and is a defining feature of the ensemble. The parish church contains frescoes and Stations of the Cross paintings by Dominikus Zimmermann. Baiershofen thus offers the chance to view a historic settlement form alongside a specific church building: the village green opens up a view of the village, while the church forms its spatial centre.

Forests and trails in Altenmünster

A biotope network established by the Bavarian State Forests lies in the state forest northwest of Altenmünster. A circular trail along the Weisinger Forstbach stream passes renaturalised areas. The hut at Vopeliusstern, with its redesigned surroundings, also invites you to explore and linger. The forest offers several specific points of interest for a visit: the biotope network, areas along the stream and the surroundings of the hut.

You can explore the forest at the shrub teaching garden on Dreijauchersberg. The Altenmünster circular trail passes through the districts of Altenmünster. For planning your journey, the Altenmünster, Süd stop and regional bus route 520 can serve as reference points. Check the latest AVV information before travelling.

Pilgrimage church and planetarium in Violau

Violau is a district of Altenmünster. The pilgrimage church of St. Michael dates from 1620. The Bruder-Klaus-Heim has an observatory with a planetarium; it also hosts the annual Planetary Conference of the VDS Planet Section. The church and the planetary conference bring different themes together in the same place. If you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the current date in advance.

Things to do in the wider Augsburg destination

In the wider Augsburg destination, the LandArt Bonstetten art trail is a 5.65-kilometre circular hiking route. Along the trail, the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures. The three-kilometre meditation trail runs from Oberschönenfeld Abbey to Weiherhof, along the edge of the Schwarzachtal forest. The trails differ in length: the meditation trail is shorter, while the LandArt art trail combines art and hiking on a circular route.

The Augsburg district has a well-developed network of cycle paths. The Stauden, Holzwinkel and Reischenau regions are part of Augsburg — Western Forests Nature Park. Westwood Alpacas regularly offers alpaca hikes and excursions through the nature park. These experiences broaden the picture of Augsburg to include cycling, nature park landscapes and guided activities.

Discover more destinations: Augsburg, Welden, Königsbrunn, Gersthofen, Scherstetten, Lechfeld, Wehringen, Aystetten

Back to the wider travel overview: Augsburg.