Altenmarkt a.d.Alz: Alz River Meadows, Monastery Culture and Crafts

The Alz Waterfall, Views and Summer by the Water

In good weather, the view from benches in the Altenmarkt municipal area reaches the Berchtesgaden and Chiemgau mountains, the Baumburg monastery church opposite, and Altenmarkt’s town center. Below, the Alz waterfall rushes by. How far the view reaches can vary with the weather and vegetation. The mountains, church, town center, and waterfall offer different points of reference.

In summer, the Alz river meadows are a swimming area for bathers and young people. Families can take inflatable-raft trips on the upper Alz. These offer two different ways to enjoy the water: seasonal swimming in the river meadows and rafting on the upper river.

Local History Museum and Church Architecture

The Altenmarkt Local History Museum covers the hammer mill, crafts, trade and commerce, church history, and agriculture. Other topics include Altenmarkt’s bridges, railway and traditional costumes, as well as historic linens and lace, photography, music in Altenmarkt, and the pharmacy. The subjects thus range from local crafts and everyday life to history, music, and visual culture.

The branch church of St. Aegidius in Altenmarkt dates in its core to the Romanesque period; the lower part of the tower is Gothic. The building thus shows two distinct periods of construction: its Romanesque core and its Gothic tower section.

Culture in the Monastery Courtyard and Baumburg

For several years, the Baumburg Cultural Summer has featured a varied program in the courtyard of the former monastery estate. In November, the “Bayropäischen Vorweihnachtssmarkt” (Bayropäische Christmas Market) focuses on gift ideas and unique arts and crafts in the atmospheric, illuminated monastery courtyard. Both events give the courtyard a cultural focus: a varied program for one, and arts and crafts in November for the other.

Baumburg Monastery is also home to a traditional brewery with award-winning beer specialties. Brewing culture adds to the themes associated with crafts and monastery history in Altenmarkt.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Altenmarkt a.d.Alz, you can take the focus of your stay into account: the Alz offers summer swimming and rafting experiences, while the local history museum, St. Aegidius, and Baumburg’s cultural events offer different highlights. This can help you decide whether water activities or history and culture should play a bigger role in your vacation.

The wider destination of Traunstein

The wider destination of Traunstein offers a broader regional perspective. Chiemsee and Lake Waging are in Traunstein district; the Chiemgau Alps have more than 170 alpine pastures and peaks reaching up to 2,000 meters. The Seeon Lakes are designated as a nature reserve in Traunstein district, while Lake Waging and Lake Tachinger are designated as a landscape conservation area. Designated protected areas help preserve biodiversity, safeguard rare habitats, and protect the natural and cultural landscape.

Traunstein’s cultural history offers another regional perspective: the historic city walk passes the Kulturforum Klosterkirche and continues to the Salinenkapelle, the saltworks houses, and the Salinenpark, built in 2019. The surviving saltworks houses and the Salinenkapelle offer insight into Traunstein’s significant salt history; the Salinenkapelle is Germany’s largest chapel.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Bergen, Seeon-Seebruck, Traunstein, Kirchanschöring, Petting, Chieming, Siegsdorf, Tacherting.

Return to the regional travel overview: Traunstein.