I love to walk through the south German countryside - the hills, the forests, the joy of coming across wayside shrines and occasionally small chapels and churches. Our jaunt in Meersburg on the Bodensee (Lake Constance) in summer 2018 saw one of these. Starting out from Meersburg we lumbered upwards, missing a turning (!), crossing fields, finding a small medieval chapel and finally passing this pilgrimage church of Baitenhausen. It lies on the Upper Swabian Baroque Road.
It was a medieval foundation, damaged in the Thirty Years War, and the present new church built 1700-1704. It was likely financed by local Prince-Bishop Marquard von Rodt as a thanks offering for delivery from some kind of distress. A ceiling fresco showing the prince-bishop on Lake Constance in a fragile boat, calling for help may explain the particular distress! There is also a scene with Meersburg as it was in 1750..Another ceiling fresco shows the prince-bishop pointing to the church site to a shepherd.
The high altar Madonna and 17th century figures of St Rochus and a Sebastian pierced with arrows were moved from the old chapel in the village. The organ came from the Meersburg seminary in 1891.
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| Medieval chapel passed on the way |
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| Fresco of boats and view of Meersburg |
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| Fresco showing future location of the church |
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| High altar |
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| Organ gallery |
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