Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PickuptheloanerEnglishtranslationsandfollowtheone-wayroute.IntheSt.AnnaChapel,
you'llseethefamous
DanceofDeath.
Thiswaspaintedshortlyafteraplaguedevastatedthe
communityin1590.Itshows20socialclasses,eachdancingwiththeGrimReaper—starting
with the pope and the emperor. The words above say, essentially, “You can say yes or you
can say no, but you must ultimately dance with death.”
Leaving the chapel, you walk over the metal lid of the crypt. Upstairs, exhibits illustrate
the rafting trade and violin- and lute-making (with a complete workshop). The museum also
includes an exquisite
Festsaal
(main festival hall), an old library, an exhibition on textile
production, and a King Ludwig-style “castle dream room.”
•Leavingthecourtyard,hookleftaroundtheoldmonasteryandgouphill.Thesquaretower
marks...
St.MagnusBasilica(BasilikaSt.Mang):
St.Mang(orMagnus)isFüssen'sfavorite
saint. In the eighth century, he worked miracles all over the area with his holy rod. For cen-
turies, pilgrims came from far and wide to enjoy art depicting the great works of St. Mag-
nus. Above the altar dangles a glass cross containing his relics (including that holy stick).
Just inside the door is a chapel remembering a much more modern saint—Franz Seelos
(1819-1867), the local boy who went to America (Pittsburgh and New Orleans) and lived
such a righteous life that in 2000 he was beatified by Pope John Paul II. If you're in need of
a miracle, fill out a request card next to the candles.
• From the church, a lane leads high above, into the courtyard of the...
High Castle (Hohes Schloss):
This castle, long the summer residence of the Bishop
of Augsburg, houses a painting gallery (the upper floor is labeled in English) and a tower
with a view over the town and lake (included in the €7 Füssen Heritage Museum combo-
ticket, otherwise €6,same hours as museum). Its courtyard is interesting forthe striking per-
spective tricks painted onto its flat walls. From below the castle, the city's main drag (once
the Roman Via Claudia, and now Reichenstrasse) leads from a grand statue of St. Magnus
past lots of shops, cafés, and strolling people to Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz and the TI...where
you began.
(country code: 49, area code: 08362)
Though I prefer sleeping in Reutte, convenient Füssen is just three miles from Ludwig's
castles and offers a cobbled, riverside retreat. It's fairly touristy, but it has plenty of rooms,
and is the region's best base for those traveling by train. All recommended accommodations
are within a few handy blocks of the train station and the town center. Parking is easy at
the station, and some hotels also have their own lot or garage. Prices listed are for one-
