Mindelstetten: Anna Schäffer and the Market

Anna Schäffer: Church, Graves and Birthplace

The old Neo-Gothic parish church of St. Nicholas dates from 1904/05. In its nave stands the tomb over the grave of Saint Anna Schäffer; her first burial place is by the church tower in Mindelstetten. Both places give the local pilgrimage history a tangible connection.

Guests of the parish can visit the Anna Schäffer Birthplace, which houses the Anna Schäffer exhibition. The Anna Schäffer Birthplace is closed from December 24 through January 1 inclusive. Check the latest visitor information before planning your visit. The pilgrimage center at Kirchplatz 2a has a hall and toilets.

A route to the saint is also described for cyclists: from Hüttenhausen, the pilgrimage cycle route continues for another two kilometers along paved cycle paths to Anna Schäffer in Mindelstetten. The distance is useful when planning your tour; check the latest route information before setting out.

The Mindelstetten Market: Procession and Equestrian Competition

Another recurring highlight is the Mindelstetten Market. On a Friday, the festival party sets off in front of the church and continues to the market square and festival hall. Celebrations then continue there for four days, with clubs, musicians and other participants. The multi-day program gives the market a distinct place in local life alongside the pilgrimage sites.

The market also includes an equestrian competition with show jumping events. The RuFV Mindelstetten organizes it near the market square. When looking for a holiday apartment, it is worth first considering whether you want to plan your stay around the story of Anna Schäffer or the market festivities.

Further Cultural Perspectives in the Municipality and in Eichstätt

In the municipality of Mindelstetten, Hüttenhausen has a church dated to around 1190 based on two stylistically closely related depictions of Christ Pantocrator in the tympana. It underwent extensive renovation around 1700, when the nave was extended westward by more than five meters. The dating and later alteration offer two different insights into the church’s architectural history.

In the wider destination of Eichstätt, the Jura Museum offers a different focus: its exhibition is devoted mainly to fossils from the Solnhofen Plattenkalk and displays the original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx. Willibaldsburg Castle also offers a historical connection. Bishop Berthold Burggraf von Zollern had it built in 1355; it served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. Preserved features include the walls and bastions, the arsenal, the 63-meter-long gate hall and the Gemmingen Building with its two towers.

Willibaldsburg Castle is also home to the 1,500-square-meter Bastion Garden. In 1998, the Hortus Eystettensis, destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, was brought back to life there after 400 years. Visitors can discover many of the garden’s original plant species. In Eichstätt, Cathedral Square lies on the oldest inhabited ground in the city. For food, Eichstätt’s Genuss-Wirte offer special dishes several times a year under the motto “Eichstätt cooks...,” including spicy Altmühltal lamb dishes.

For families, the Eichstätt Fossil Trail is a moderately difficult, nine-kilometer circular route. In Eichstätt, visitors can choose from different themes, including the museum and architectural history, as well as the garden, regional cuisine and a longer hike. This focus can be a helpful starting point when looking for a holiday apartment: should your stay center mainly on Anna Schäffer and the Mindelstetten Market, or are you more interested in the attractions of the wider destination of Eichstätt?

Discover more destinations: Titting, Beilngries, Pollenfeld, Gaimersheim, Großmehring, Wellheim, Eichstätt, Mörnsheim.

Back to the main travel overview: Eichstätt.