St Coloman's Church in Schwangau, Bavaria in southern Germany

by Marga Vroom

St-Coloman Church is an iconic, photogenic and baroque pilgrimage church tucked away in the picturesque landscape of the Allgäu region of Bavaria, Germany. The church is famous for its idyllic and isolated location in the middle of a vast grassland. As shown in the picture, the church is flanked by a majestic backdrop. In the background, the imposing peaks of the Schwangau Mountains rise up, covered with some snow, providing a beautiful contrast to the warm autumn colours in the foreground. These are the foothills of the Alps.
The church stands on a clear field, the "Lüss", which emphasises its solitude and beauty. Depending on the season, the field is beautifully green and, as in the picture, glowing yellow/gold in the autumn sun.
Around the church are stately trees, which provide a rich palette of orange, yellow and red hues in autumn, adding to the fairy-tale atmosphere.
Moreover, the church is in close proximity to the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle, making it one of the most photographed sights in all of Bavaria.
The church is a fine example of early Bavarian Baroque and was built on the site of an older chapel. It is a Baroque pilgrimage church, completed in the 17th century. The church is dedicated to St Coloman, an Irish pilgrim.
Tradition has it that pilgrimages to Colomanskirche peaked in the 17th and 18th centuries. This tradition still lives on in the annual Colomansfest in October. This festival is celebrated with a traditional equestrian procession and horse blessing (the Colomanstritt), where riders with their horses circle the church three times for protection. In short, St Coloman's Church is more than just a building, it is a place where history, art and the Bavarian mountain landscape come together in a harmonious and beautiful whole.