Church architecture, a former estate and scenic destinations give a trip to Pirk a variety of highlights. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the village of Pirk and the municipality’s other villages: the Church of the Visitation of Mary and the New Castle are in Pirk, while the pilgrimage, village chapels and several scenic spots are in other parts of the municipality.
Architectural history in Pirk
The Catholic Church of the Visitation of Mary stands at Rathausplatz 7–9. It is a hall church with a hipped roof and a narrower, five-sided apse. The church dates from around 1770; the central tower over the choir has an older core and a pyramid roof. The building therefore brings together details from different periods: the church is dated to around 1770, while the tower’s core is older.
The New Castle in Pirk is a former estate. Its core dates from the 17th or 18th century; the three-storey building with a hipped roof has been altered. To understand its history, it is important to consider both its former function as an estate and the uncertain dating of its core, as well as the later changes to its structure.
The ensemble at Rathausplatz also includes a 19th-century cemetery cross: an iron crucifix with a secondary figure on a renewed pedestal. Another historical milestone is the Church of the Resurrection, which was consecrated by Bishop Rudolf Graber in 1964.
Churches and traditions in the villages
There are also places to visit outside the main village. The Catholic Church of St George in Enzenrieth dates from 1849. It is a hall church with a gabled roof, a three-sided apse and a roof turret with a pointed spire. Every year, on the third Sunday in September, a pilgrimage on foot sets out from Enzenrieth for Pleystein; this tradition has been observed for more than 100 years. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the event date in advance.
In Engleshof, a village chapel dedicated to St Wolfgang stands in the square at the centre of the village. Right next to Engleshof is an old stone bridge dating from the 17th century, which is considered a local attraction. Both of these sites are in Engleshof, not in Pirk itself.
Countryside in the municipality
The Bonau Nature Reserve lies near the hamlet of Au and is home to many rare animals and plants. In Pischeldorf, the village stream has been uncovered. A chain of ponds also begins east of the village and continues towards Hochdorf. These sites are in different parts of the municipality and showcase a variety of landscape features.
Matzlesberg is perched on a hilltop high above the Luhe Valley and offers panoramic views, particularly of Leuchtenberg Castle Ruins. As a guide to the municipality’s geography, the Luhe Valley marks its southern boundary and the Waldnaab Valley its western boundary. The main village of Pirk lies at 400 m above sea level.
Getting here and cycling route
The municipality of Pirk lies directly on the A 93, around 6 km south of Weiden i.d.OPf. You can reach it via the Luhe exit, approaching through Pischeldorf, or via the Weiden Süd exit, approaching through Schirmitz. The B 22 (Ostmarkstraße) runs about 3 km from the municipal area. Around 10 km south of there, the A 6 intersects the A 93 near Wernberg-Köblitz.
Cycling enthusiasts can explore the region on the Nature Park Discovery Route, which runs through Luhe-Wildenau and Pirk before continuing to Weiden i.d.OPf. This makes Pirk a stop along the route, while its churches, castle and the scenic destinations described above offer different options for planning your trip.
For the broader travel overview: Schirmitz.
