What is there to see at Kloster Ettal
 

For some time now I have been thinking about a trip along the Romantic Road, between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Würzburg. One of the stops would be Kloster Ettal, but I am having trouble finding much about it. Their website, www.kloster-ettal.de mentions something about pre-organized tours for groups of 15 or more (in German only), but I can't seem to find anything else about visiting the monastary.

What is there to see?

What are their hours?

Can I just walk in and see it by myself?

Do they have regular tours for people who just show up (I would prefer English, but a German language tour would be ok)?

Visit Kloster Ettal if you get the chance. I don't know about tours. The church itself can be visited whenever a church service isn't going on. We once arrived during a service and had to wait outside until it was finished.
When you are in the area, try to visit the church at Rottenbuch. It is on the road from Ettal north and just past the road to the Wieskirche. My wife likes the interior there better than many of the other churches in the area.

Hi,
We were at Ettal Monestary in 2003 and we walked the grounds and saw the church on our own. The church is well worth a visit as it is beautiful. We never looked into or asked about a tour. If your in the area, it's well worth a visit.

Paul

We're planning to drive there this fall and had the same questions. Does anyone know if they have a bier stube on premisses. I think half the reason for my fascination with the place is the excellent dunklesbier I've been able to find from time to time in one of our local stores.

JN: I doubt that you will have any trouble finding a bier. There is a hotel/restaurant on the premises run by the Kloster, but they apparently are ashamed of their prices since they don't list them. There is also at least one Cafe-Restaurant in the neighborhood (Edelweiß) that sells both the beer and the liquor from the monastery.

And, for Joe and Paul, thank you for your input, but is there anything of interest there besides the church? I have seen enough churches in Germany; I don't need to see any more. After a while, they all look the same.(Actually, I am going to make an exception for Wieskirche because it is so unique.) How much of the grounds are open to visitors? Can I tour the brewery? Can I tour the actual monastery and see how the monks live? I would much rather do those things if it is possible.

Larry,

The Abbey is right on the road and hard to miss. I think it is worth a stop to look around. I found it as interesting as the Weiskirche.

Hi,
Sorry, we didn't do anything but walk the grounds and see the church. If your heading north from Garmisch towards Wurzburg, try stopping at Andechs Monestary, on the eastern side of the Ammersee, southwest of Munich. We've been here twice, most recently Oct. 06. Makes a great stop for a beer and wurst or pretzel in one of the beer gardens. Very nice setting. (a spectacular church here also).

www.andechs.de

The Wieskirche is special. We thought it was gorgeous! Well worth a visit.

Paul

I've seen a great many baroque/rococo churches in Germany, but I still think Kloster Ettal is especially beautiful. If I had to rate churches--kind of an odd thing to do, I know--I'd definitely put Kloster Ettal ahead of the Wieskirche.

I meant to add that I have never visited it with a tour. I've always gone on my own.

By the way, since you'll be in the area, if you can visit just one church more, the Oberammergau parish church is also quite nice. I mention this because it always impresses me when I see an ordinary old parish church in a small town like Oberammergau or Prien am Chiemsee that is really beautiful--sometimes decorated by famous artists like Johann Baptist Zimmerman, who did frescoes for Schloss Nymphenburg and the Wieskirche, etc..

NO MORE CHURCHES!

If all there is to see at Ettal Monastery is the church, then I will just look through the window as I pass by and say I saw it.

One reason to stop Larry - I bought a little keg of the Abbey beer and brought it home. My friends and I all agreed it was one of the very best beers we ever sampled:

http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer/ettaler...pelbock/10585/