Stift zu Unserer Lieben Frau zur Alten Kapelle

Stift zu Unserer Lieben Frau zur Alten Kapelle stands in Germany as a church shaped by more than a millennium of history. Roman remains appear in its outer walls, where ancient stone meets the later brilliance of Bavarian Rococo. Around 875, the building served as a royal chapel for kings and dukes. In 1002, King Henry II established a collegiate foundation here, strengthening its role in the Christianization of Bavaria.

Fires, wars and repeated rebuilding changed the church across the centuries. From 1747, artists covered the medieval interior with Rococo stucco, frescoes, carvings and gilded ornament. Painted ceilings now surround the space with the elaborate detail of eighteenth-century craftsmanship.

The Gnadenbild shows Mary with the infant Jesus and dates from the twelfth century. Pilgrims regarded the image as a treasured focus of devotion, even after political upheaval carried it away. Roman stones remain visible outside, while the southern Romanesque portal preserves another clear trace of the church’s earlier layers.