Discover Otterskirchen through two different lenses: circular routes around the village lead to Ebersberg Observation Tower, while the parish church, memorial and plague column reveal different chapters of local history. There are also theatre performances with specific years and an annual event held in December. When planning your stay, consider whether you would like to focus more on the views and route or on church and cultural history.
Views and circular routes around Otterskirchen
Near Otterskirchen, the 27-metre-high observation tower stands on the 557-metre-high Ebersberg, the highest elevation in the Vorwald. Built in 1887, the tower offers views of the Danube Valley; in favourable weather, you can also see the Alps from there.
The tower key can be collected in advance from the Tourist Information Office in Windorf. If you plan to visit the viewpoint, remember to collect it beforehand.
Circular Routes Nos. 15 and 17, 11 kilometres long, lead from Otterskirchen via Hidring and Ebersberg to the observation tower. The return route goes via Rettenberg, Lapperding, the plague column and Hintergalgenberg back to Otterskirchen.
Circular Hiking Route No. 18 is an easy, 5.1-kilometre circuit through the countryside around Otterskirchen. At 5.1 kilometres, it is shorter than the route that goes to the tower; it is also rated as easy. This lets you weigh up the route length and the observation tower as an explicitly named destination when choosing.
Church and historic sites
St. Michael's Parish Church is part of one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Passau; its furnishings include a notable acanthus altar. The history of the village name refers to a church founded around the year 800 under Ottokar, the chorbishop of Passau, from which the name Otterskirchen derives. Here you will encounter both a specific detail of the church's furnishings and an early explanation of the village name.
The war memorial is located at the northern entrance to the cemetery, next to the parish church. It was dedicated on 22 May 1921. The plague column is also nearby, in Lapperding. The people of Otterskirchen erected it in memory of the 482 people who died of the plague in the parish in 1649. The two memorial sites offer different historical perspectives: the memorial, with its dedication date, and the plague column, commemorating those who died of the plague.
Theatre and December events
The history of theatre also has specific dates. The first known report of a theatre performance in Otterskirchen dates back to 1898. The Otterskirchen Theatre Group performed “Da Grantlhuaber” in 2023, “Das verflixte Klassentreffen” in 2024 and “Beim Ochsenwirt geht’s rund” in 2025. If you would like to include a performance in your stay, check the latest dates in advance.
Near Otterskirchen, the Ebersberg Tower Christmas Celebration takes place every year on 30 December under the motto “A Weihnacht wias früher war”. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the latest event details in advance.
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