The Aldersbach monastery grounds offer a tangible connection between cultural heritage and outdoor activity: the Via Nova trail runs through the grounds and their Baroque garden. There is also Asam art, brewing history and permanent exhibitions at the Bräuseum. To plan your stay, you can choose between the monastery and church, exhibitions, historical guided tours, events, and cycling or hiking trails.
Monastery Ensemble and Asam Art
The former Cistercian monastery of Aldersbach and the former monastery church, the Abbey Church of the Assumption of Mary, form an impressive ensemble. The Asam brothers designed the interior of the Abbey Church. Cosmas Damian Asam painted a fresco spanning a bay on the nave ceiling there for the first time in the Bavarian region. Egid Quirin Asam created stuccowork in the style of the early Rococo, with influences from the Italian Baroque. In the church interior, you can see paintings on the nave ceiling and elaborate stuccowork.
The Asam Church in Aldersbach has been open again since its altar consecration on November 24, 2024. For specific visit planning, please check the opening hours in advance.
Brewing History and Exhibitions
The permanent exhibitions “Wirtshaussterben? Wirtshausleben!” and “BIER & WIR” are on display at the Bräuseum in Aldersbach. An arbitration document issued by Count Albert of Hals in 1268 attests to brewing operations in Aldersbach from that time onward. Together, the exhibitions and historical document offer different points of interest for a stay focused on inn culture and brewing history.
Guided Tours, Stage and Trails
On the historical themed tours, “Abbot Theobald II” and Brother Kastner lead guests interested in history from the town hall portal across the monastery grounds and into the monastery’s grand rooms. Examples mentioned include the library hall and the Solomon Hall. Tours are offered for groups; if this kind of visit fits your plans, arrange a date through the Tourist Information contact.
The open-air stage hosts events ranging from classical music and cabaret to rock, pop and musicals. If a particular performance is central to your trip, check the event dates for your preferred travel period.
Aldersbach has cycling and hiking trails, including the Vilstal Cycle Path and the Via Nova. The Via Nova runs through the Aldersbach monastery grounds and their Baroque garden. Those interested in trails and monastery culture will find a direct connection here: the route passes right through the grounds. The Vilstal Cycle Path is another named route.
Culture in the Wider Passau Destination
In the wider Passau destination, the Bavarian Forest Open-Air Museum is located in Tittling and is one of Europe’s largest open-air museums. Visitors can explore more than 100 residential and agricultural buildings from the Bavarian Forest, dating from 1580 to 1890, across 20 hectares. The museum village includes farmhouses, mills, sawmills, smithies, chapels and field monuments, as well as Germany’s oldest elementary school, dating from 1666. While the monastery ensemble and Asam art define Aldersbach’s local focus, the museum village in Tittling illustrates the Bavarian Forest’s historic residential and agricultural buildings.
Discover more destinations: Beutelsbach, BĂĽchlberg, FĂĽrstenstein, Witzmannsberg, Neuhaus Am Inn, Tittling, Bad Griesbach Im Rottal, Wegscheid.
Back to the wider travel overview: Passau.
