April 2008
Landsberg am Lech
Rising in terraces up the river Lech, Landsberg is one of the special attractions along the
Romantische Strasse (Romantic Road)—Germany’s oldest and most popular touring route. Enclosed by walls set with towers and pierced by gateways, Landsberg has largely retained its medieval character and as a whole can be called a historical landmark.
One way to enter the picturesque Old Town leads through the colorful Bayertor—one of the most beautiful gateways in Bavaria. Built in 1425, it has a 36-meter-high crenellated tower whose interior contains a stone sculpture of the Crucifixion and armorial cartouches. The other surviving gates are the Sandauertor, which was built as a closure into the northern part of the town wall in 1630. The Bäckertor and the Färbertor from the 15th century, as well as the medieval town walls—the earliest sections of which were built in the 13th century—have also been preserved almost in their entirety.
Within the town walls of Landsberg, each corner seems to reveal an architectural treasure. Narrow streets are packed tight with single-story cottages with steeply pitched roofs. The town hall in the city center was erected in 1700. Dominikus Zimmermann, an architect and Landsberg’s mayor, extended the building from 1719 to 1721, adding a delicate gable roof on top of the stucco façade. The front windows were scaled in size according to the importance of the rooms behind them.
The parish church, Mariä Himmelfahrt, is worth a longer visit. Built in 1458–88, it still has a Romanesque tower, but architectural layers of the past centuries have altered the outer and interior of the church. The Baroque appearance of Mariä Himmelfahrt was the result of a restoration around 1700. The windows of the presbytery have late Gothic stained glass, although this is unfortunately obscured by the high altar that was imported from Bernbeuren in 1680. The church is also in possession of an excellent painting by Peter Candid from 1597, which illustrates the ascension of Mary.
A memorial at the border of the Old Town acknowledges the dark chapters of Landsberg’s history. After the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, Adolf Hitler was imprisoned in Landsberg, and wrote the first volume of “Mein Kampf” during his confinement. After 1933, the NSDAP seized upon this legacy to make Landsberg’s prison a cult site. Hitler Youth events often were held in the city. In the last two years of the war, the city also hosted an armor project, that forced concentration camp prisoners into labor. A memorial commemorates the death of thousands of prisoners on this site.
The local history museum, reaches even further back, with displays featuring artifacts from early history and medieval craftwork. Since 1989, it has been situated in the former Jesuit college, which was built in 1688–92. Another highlight is the city’s museum for footwear at Vorderer Anger 247. Here, 18 display cases present shoe fashion from eight centuries. Wedding shoes from Afghanistan, Chinese Gin-lin shoes and chaussures made out of different materials such as reed, car tires or birchbark belong to the museum’s collection. The Historisches Schuhmuseum is also proud to present bootees owned by Austrian Empress Elisabeth and sneakers worn by tennis champion Steffi Graf. Visiting the museum is only possible by calling in advance: (08191) 42 296.
Landsberg am Lech is about 60 kilo-meters—a 50-minute train ride—away from Munich. For more information on landmarks, accommodations and special events, see
www.landsberg.de. <<<
