Pilgrimage Church of Wies, World Heritage Site in Germany

In Wies, a village located in an Alpine valley in southern Germany, a mysterious event called the “Miracle of the Tears of Wies” occurred.Pilgrims soon began to gather, and a church was built between 1745 and 1754 by an architect named Dominikus Zimmermann. Although the church is small, its interior decoration is gorgeous and ornate, and it is known as a masterpiece of the Rococo style.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains in simple terms why the pilgrimage church in Wies is a World Heritage Site. Read this and you will definitely learn more about the pilgrimage church in Wies!

What is the Pilgrimage Church of Wies?

Bavaria in southern Germany.Near the small town of Steingaden lies the village of Wies. In 1738, a miracle occurred in this peaceful village.A farmer’s wife received a wooden statue of “Christ being flogged” carved by a monk.This became a topic of conversation in the village, and the wooden statue was placed in the chapel.

Soon pilgrims began to visit not only from Germany but also from Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and other countries, and eventually the abbot of Steingarten decided to build a magnificent facility.When the funds were saved, he commissioned architect Dominicus Zimmermann to build the church in 1745.

The church has an elliptical structure, and the narthex (the entrance to the church, like a lobby) is semi-circular and domed. The narthex has arched columns to allow more light to enter. And it is one of the best masterpieces of Rococo style decoration in Europe.

The Rococo style is derived from “rocaille,” a style of architecture that makes extensive use of curves to eliminate the boundary between the walls and ceiling. The Pilgrimage Church in Wies is a typical Rococo style, with its frescoed and stuccoed ceiling, a world of opulence and splendor that could truly be called a “jewel from the heavens.His brother, the painter Johann Baptiste Zimmermann, was in charge of the frescoes, and the church in Wies is what one might call a collaboration of painting and architecture.

For what reason is the Pilgrimage Church of Wies on the World Heritage List?

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies was recognized for

Registration Criteria (i)
The pilgrimage church of Wies, located on top of a hill, is a masterpiece of the Rococo style, to the point of being a masterpiece of the Rococo style.

Registration Criteria (iii)
The existing churches are still visited by many pilgrims, which means that the cultural and religious traditions of the village are still present.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments

Wies is a church in a small village at the foot of the Alps, but it is appreciated for its architecture, which represents the Rococo style in Europe. And it is also important to note that such a magnificent church was built because of the miracle of the wooden statue Christian shed tears, and many people still visit the church on pilgrimage today.

Incidentally, was it a considerable masterpiece? The architect Dominicus Zimmermann moved to Weeze in 1754, when the church was completed, and lived here until his death in 1766. Does it mean that the church is so beautiful that the creator himself would like to see it forever….

*The contents here are considerations derived from research by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.