Rimbach Chapel Path (Ri09)

Panoramic hiking trail in the Upper Bavarian Forest Nature Park, Bavaria. Rimbach is considered an ancient settlement. It is said to have been created as part of the missionary activities of the Chammuenster monastery and is one of those "-bach" places whose name is assigned to the 9th century. The church patronage of the Archangel St. Michael also suggests a great age. According to legend, the church was planned to be built on the nearby Aignhof. However, the timber was brought by angels to a hill where a pagan sacrificial site was located. The first church fell victim to the Hussite invasion. The next (built in 1438) sank in the Thirty Years' War. According to the year in the choir arch, today's old church building was completed in 1719. Some saints in the parish church still point to the connection between people and their faith. Next to the parish church is the soul chapel (built in 1735). It contains an image of the Sorrowful Mother of God, which used to be the destination of pilgrimages. The ceiling painting shows the poor souls in purgatory, under which is the face of a teacher who was on duty at the time. If you now want to leave the Kirchberg and walk past the war memorial in the direction of the "Bayerischer Hof" hotel, you will reach the pedestrian path on the right after the hotel car park. Here you will find the Gsellhofer family memorial. The family erected a cross and memorial plaques to commemorate the deceased relatives. Just a little further on, turn right into Falkenweg and shortly thereafter right again into Finkenweg. After approx. 100 m and the end of the asphalt road there is a so-called "Marterl" on the left behind a group of trees and bushes. A "Marterl" can be a cross or a commemorative plaque and is intended to commemorate the person who died in an accident at this point; in this case to Georg Pielmeier, who died here. The farmer was sowing seeds in the field with a team of oxen and was fatally injured by the animals as they panicked. Back on the pedestrian path along the main road, you come to a chapel with a memorial stone next to it. The chapel was built by the Mühlbauer family. On the memorial stone are the names of those who had fatal accidents on the Aubergstrasse that passed by. Opposite, across the road, from the turnoff to Thenried stands a wooden crucifix, with a very beautifully carved Christ. From here, turn left into Wiedenhofstrasse, on the right-hand side of which is a large group of dead boards. These death boards had their origins in earlier times, when there were no morgues and the deceased was laid out at home. This happened on a board that the carpenter later worked out, painted and provided with personal details and a pious saying. The relatives then set it up next to wayside crosses or chapels. There these death boards remind passers-by to quietly commemorate them. Originally, boards for the dead of the deceased from the nearby farm were set up here. To ensure that this tradition is not forgotten, this Totenbretter group has been taken over by the local traditional costume association. It puts up new death boards for deceased members and holds a memorial service every year. In earlier times, a way of the cross led from here to the forest hill, on which three crosses stood. That is why people still speak of Calvary today. Further along the Wiedenhofstraße, past two ponds, there is a small chapel on the private property of the Silberbauer family (which unfortunately cannot be visited). This was built in 1983. With the construction of this chapel, the builder expressed his gratitude for God's help in family need and for a safe return home from the war. After approx. 200 meters there is another corridor cross at the edge of the road. These crucifixes testify to a deep religiosity of the people. They are meant to remind passers-by of our Creator. Until recently, it was customary to cross oneself or to pause briefly when passing one of these crosses. Now go back approx. 100 m until you can turn left onto a field path, along the edge of the forest you reach the forest on the left. If you now follow the signpost to the forest chapel on the left, you will reach the "wooden chapel". It was built by the Hofmann family from Thürnhofen. The old chapel that stood on this site dates from 1822. The votive painting in the chapel depicts a herd of cattle being protected by the Mother of God, suggesting that the chapel was built in gratitude for a past cattle plague. There are a few benches by the wooden chapel that invite you to linger and pray in silence. Highlights of the hike: - Wooden chapel - Kalvarienberg - beautiful views - Dead Boards - Wooden chapel