Weltenburg Abbey
1 / 6
Weltenburg Abbey - by Octobrist (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description
Weltenburg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery along the Danube river, in the Weltenburg Narrows near Kelheim in central Bavaria. It was founded in the 7th century (making it possibly the oldest in Bavaria and one of the oldest monastic breweries in the world) and is dedicated to Saint George. Following the secularization movement in Bavaria, the abbey was officially dissolved in 1803 but was later re-founded in 1842 under King Ludwig I. The guided tours are 30mins long but can be extended to 45-60mins for a fee.
Access & Transport
The abbey is 7km southwest of Kelheim along the St 2233 and the parking is a 10mins walk away. By car, the complex is 35km away from Regensburg (B16 and exit toward Riedenburg/Kelheim), 120km from Nuremberg (A9 / exit 59-Denkendorf) and 105km from Munich (A9/A93 then exit 49-Abensberg).
Instructions & Recommendations
Tours are conducted in English but are also available in Italian, French or Spanish upon advanced request. Bookings are required to be made 10 days in advance and min. fee is EUR40 per group. Other nearby attractions include the Hall of Liberation at Kelheim (Befreihungshalle) and the following company runs local river cruises: https://www.schifffahrt-kelheim.de/
Environmental & Social
We deem this activity environmentally neutral and tourism helps preserve the region's architectural heritage.
Conclusion
With an extensive complex, beautifully decorated church, home-made cheese and beer, and a delightful riverside setting, the Weltenburg Abbey makes for a nice half-day outing. It is a bit light on architectural features and cultural aspect though, which in a way makes it more family friendly.
Key positive
Gorgeous setting next to the Danube Gorge
The church interior is splendid
Pleasant biergarten
Key negative
Limited cultural and artistic content besides the church
Suitability
Family friendly and it looks to be accessible even for visitors with reduced mobility
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
June 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:1h 15m
est. visit time:2h
MONDAY -
TUESDAY09:00 - 11:00
WEDNESDAY09:00 - 11:00
THURSDAY09:00 - 11:00
FRIDAY09:00 - 11:00
SATURDAY09:00 - 11:00
SUNDAY -
MONDAY -
TUESDAY12:30 - 16:30
WEDNESDAY12:30 - 16:30
THURSDAY12:30 - 16:30
FRIDAY12:30 - 16:30
SATURDAY12:30 - 16:30
SUNDAY12:30 - 16:30