Rathsmannsdorf: Church Art, Culture and Hiking Trails

Rathsmannsdorf is especially appealing to travelers who want to combine church art and history with walking trails. The old St. Ulrich Church serves as a cultural venue, the new parish church preserves religious artworks, and a hiking trail around Rathsmannsdorf Castle leads through nature. This gives you a range of options for your vacation days. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether culture and church art or outdoor activities should be the focus of your stay. You can use this decision to guide your choice of holiday destination.

Churches and Art from Different Periods

The old St. Ulrich Church was built around 1400 and renovated between 1986 and 1990. Since then, it has served as a cultural venue; concerts and exhibitions are part of its regular program. If you plan to visit for a specific event, check the dates in advance.

The new St. Ulrich Parish Church is a Neo-Romanesque building constructed in 1935/36. Its furnishings bring together different periods: two side-altar paintings by Sister Berta Hummel date from 1942, and there is also a Late Gothic statue of St. Ulrich and other religious artworks. The paintings therefore date from after the church was built; the Late Gothic statue points to an older artistic tradition. Here, you can encounter the history of the building and religious art from different periods.

Historic Buildings and Hiking Trails

The former Catholic parish church of St. Ulrich is a Gothic hall church with a polygonal choir and a west tower. The term “polygonal choir” describes a chancel with a multi-sided end. The Bavarian Monument Register lists the former church and Rathsmannsdorf Castle (as of April 10, 2026). Rathsmannsdorf Castle was acquired in 1449 by Prince-Bishop Leonhard von Layming. The church and castle thus offer different perspectives on the history of the place.

The route lengths also vary considerably. Circular Hiking Trail No. 12 is an easy, 3.8 km hike through nature around Rathsmannsdorf Castle. Markt Windorf is listed as the operator; check the current route information before setting out. A section of the VIA NOVA pilgrimage trail runs for 8.6 km from Vilshofen/Schweiklberg to Rathsmannsdorf in the municipality of Windorf. This lets you choose between a shorter circular hike and a longer section of the pilgrimage trail, with its start and end points specified.

Windorf as the Wider Travel Destination

The Tourist Information Office in Windorf, the wider travel destination, has an exhibition of ship models. The Sieben-Brückerl Trail leads from Windorf via Hacklsdorf and Hirnschnell to the Siebenbrückerl Chapel. From there, it returns via Frauendorf or takes the shortest route back to Windorf via Wimberg. On Windorf’s Danube Island, two signposted circular trails offer views of the island, the Danube and the surrounding area.

When searching for a holiday apartment, you can start with the focus you want for your vacation: Rathsmannsdorf combines church art and a cultural program with hiking opportunities; the wider travel destination of Windorf adds further trails and the ship-model exhibition.

More Travel Destinations

Discover more travel destinations: Otterskirchen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Windorf.