Above the Meersburg district of Baitenhausen stands the pilgrimage church of Mary of Mount Carmel. From its location, the view extends across the Salem Valley to Heiligenberg Castle and Gehrenberg. The Baroque chapel on the Schlossberg was built in 1702 by chaplain J. G. Rodt for a pilgrimage tradition dating back to the Late Middle Ages; the pilgrimage church was consecrated in 1704. The dates mark two distinct historical steps: construction and consecration. Features include a Gothic devotional image on the high altar and ceiling paintings by J. W. Baumgartner. Traditional pilgrimage days are St. Wendelin’s Day on 20 October and the Scapular Festival on the Sunday around 16 July.
Hiking Trails and Cycling Tours
Hiking Trail 5 can be identified by its route: it leads from Grasbeuren via Schiggendorf and the Baitenhausen pilgrimage chapel to MĂĽhlhofen, then back to Grasbeuren. The sequence of stops shows which places this tour connects, without requiring a walking time to be given.
A circular hike around the villages north of Meersburg leads from Meersburg to the Baroque chapel in Baitenhausen. It is 11 km long, takes about 3 hours and includes 170 metres of ascent. Along the route, vineyards and orchards alternate with views of the Salem Valley, Lake Constance and the Alps. At the thermal-spring borehole point, the circular route joins the Way of St. James.
Another described route starts in the centre of Baitenhausen: via Kirchweg, past the cemetery, the circular trail reaches the pilgrimage church on the Schlossberg after 95 steps.
A cycling tour also leads to Baitenhausen: the “Scenic Cycling Tour Through Beautiful Natural Landscapes” climbs uphill to the village and reaches the chapel via a signposted spur trail. On the forest section towards Baitenhausen, it also passes the bee nature trail.
Blossom Trail and Beekeeping
A signposted blossom trail was created in 2008 in a meadow beside the Baitenhausen teaching apiary. The history of beekeeping is presented at the teaching apiary using historic beehives and occupied observation hives. The blossom trail and the history of beekeeping thus offer a different focus from Baroque architecture and the pilgrimage tradition.
Culture in the wider destination of Meersburg
The wider destination of Meersburg itself offers further cultural attractions. Meersburg New Palace was the Baroque residence of the Prince-Bishops of Constance. Its monumental staircase was designed based on a plan by Balthasar Neumann; the palace offers panoramic views across Lake Constance. The Fürstenhäusle also offers views across the lake. Furnished with authentic Biedermeier-era furniture, it provides insight into the life and work of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. The residence’s architecture and the writer’s story thus represent different cultural themes in Meersburg.
From 4 April to 31 October, the Bible Gallery Meersburg offers open tours of its permanent exhibition every Friday; check the dates before your trip. Boat excursions on Lake Überlingen are also offered from Meersburg on scheduled services. Services and timetables may vary by season, so it is advisable to check the operator’s information. In the Red House, a Baroque palace opposite the New Palace, the Bodenseekreis Gallery presents modern and contemporary art; the exhibition season may vary.
Discover more destinations: Tettnang, Salem, Roggenbeuren, Neukirch, Owingen, Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Oberteuringen, Ăśberlingen.
Back to the wider travel overview: Lake Constance.
