A church with several historical layers and a distinctive setting in the landscape give Haunwang two different points of interest for a stay. The village lies on a gently rolling plateau above the Isar Valley, southwest of Landshut.
St. Katharina and Haunwang’s Local History
The branch church of St. Katharina is a Late Gothic hall church dating from the mid-15th century. Its nave has an older core and was remodelled in the Baroque style. At the same time, the present-day church developed from a small Romanesque church built in the 12th to 13th century. Several alterations have shaped its appearance over the past 800 years.
The cemetery wall at St. Katharina also reveals different historical layers: it dates from the 18th or 19th century and has an older core. A guide to the church is available from the Eching parish office. This makes it possible to explore the church’s architectural history and the history of its associated cemetery complex as distinct cultural topics.
Haunwang is mentioned in a Freising document dating from around 784. The village’s history also includes a family of knights described with the epithet “nobilis” among the noble families of the surrounding area. These historical reference points complement the architectural history with an early documentary mention and the family’s recorded history.
Landscape and Hiking
Haunwang’s location on a plateau above the Isar Valley is a distinct aspect of the village, alongside its church and local history. The village description also places it southwest of Landshut. Those wishing to explore cultural history and landscape together will find two distinct themes here, without needing to treat them as a single sightseeing destination.
One of the features of the Landshuter Höhenwanderweg E1 – Berghofen is a chapel near Haunwang. While St. Katharina takes centre stage for its architectural history, the hiking route lists a chapel near Haunwang as one of its features.
A Further Perspective in Eching
In Eching, the Middle Isar Reservoirs Bird Sanctuary is part of the Natura 2000 European network of protected areas. Its key habitats include the Middle Isar Canal with the reservoirs near Moosburg and Eching, as well as the Isar with adjoining alluvial woodland areas. The area covers 5.7 square kilometres and lies approximately equally within the districts of Freising and Landshut. It is important internationally as a stopover and passage area, and across the state as a breeding area.
At the Echinger Reservoir, the observation tower and the southern dam path offer interesting views of wildlife all year round. This nature-related attraction belongs to Eching; Haunwang’s own themes are its church, local history, and location above the Isar Valley. Eching’s architecture also includes the parish church of St. John the Baptist, a barrel-vaulted hall with numerous windows and elaborate altar furnishings made of stucco marble.
Discover more destinations: Thal
Return to the main travel overview: Eching.
