Birnau's main altar.
I’ve been in some churches that I thought were beautiful (Ely Cathedral, Notre Dame Basilica-Montreal, the Loretto Chapel). I’ve been in some churches where I felt a strong sense of spirituality (St. Joseph’s Oratory, Llandaff Cathedral). But, I’ve never been in a church where I was physically and spiritually overwhelmed…until I set foot in Birnau.
I almost didn’t go to Birnau. It isn’t mentioned in several of the guidebooks that I read before our trip. In fact, the only guidebook to mention it was Lonely Planet, which gave it a small, but effusive, write-up as part of its Lake Constance description. Since we were planning to stay in Meersburg (which is nearby) and since I like visiting churches, I thought it might be worth visiting. When our Meersburg stay fell through, Kelly was still gracious enough to take us to this site.
It took a bit of effort to get to Birnau. While it is on the main road that runs along Lake Constance’s north shore, that road is a small two-laned trail that meanders through towns and farm land. In other words, don’t expect to be doing 100 mph (or even 100 kph) when driving this road. Complicating our search was the fact that we didn’t exactly know where this church was located. We knew it was west of Meersburg and on the main road around Lake Constance. However, the specific location was a mystery. We drove along scanning the countryside for anything that looked like a church. Eventually, we came over a hill and saw a large, pink and white structure. One look and I knew we had found the place.
Birnau’s physical location by itself is impressive. The church sits on bluff overlooking Lake Constance, amidst orchards and vineyards. However, its size and rococo exterior make it stand above those natural elements to make its presence known.
We drove into the church’s parking lot. There was a farmer’s market/art festival going on in the parking lot, so spaces were at a premium. Still, Kelly managed to find us a spot. We walked slightly uphill to the church. From this vantage point, the rococo elements in the exterior that made it distinctive from the road were even more apparent. Particularly interesting were the large bell tower and the sundial that was painted on that tower. I found the exterior to be attractive, but not spectacular.
We went inside. Immediately to the right was a small gift shop. I thought we’d have to pay an entrance fee, but there was none. We passed the gift shop and stepped up to the doors of the nave, which were closed. What we saw when we opened those doors took our breaths away. The entire interior was a cornucopia of rococo decoration. Multiple statues with the classic “flowing motion” for which baroque/rococo sculpture is known populated the building’s corners and nooks. The ceiling was decorated with two separate frescos (one over the nave, another over the altar). Multiple altars were decorated with stunning paintings. Stucco and (fake) marble made the rest of the interior come alive. The entire scene gave the appearance of movement, drama, and power.
Of course, we knew we had to take a lot of pictures of this interior, because there was no way we were going to stuff every detail into our memories. But, no sooner had we brought our cameras up to our faces, when someone (who I think was a fellow tourist, but I can’t be certain of that) approached us and said, “No.” He pointed to a sign at the door, which said “Photography not allowed.” I couldn’t believe it. How could something this beautiful not be shared with everyone? Still, the rules are the rules, so we reluctantly put our cameras down. But, the temptation to take a picture was too great for most of us. All of us clandestinely took a couple of pictures before leaving the nave.
Since photography wasn’t allowed, we slowly made our way around the nave; savoring every detail in a futile attempt to try to remember it. But, our effort was much like trying to feel one drop of water in a wave that strikes you…it was just not possible. With the need to get back on the road growing ever more imperative, we reluctantly left the nave and made a bee line for the gift shop. We bought several books and postcards as a way to fill in the shortfall created by the prohibition on photography.
After we finished our shopping, we went back outside. A paved trail that follows along Lake Constance’s entire shore ran right in front of Birnau. We walked it for a little while. It took us through some beautiful vineyard, which was loaded with wine grapes that were almost ready for harvest. By itself, it was wonderful countryside to observe. When combined with the church, the entire setting was magical.
The Germans have a term for churches like Birnau: Gesamtkunstwerk. That term means a combination of painting, sculpture, and architecture designed to be a homogenous composition that enhances the feelings of spirituality. I can honestly say that Birnau meets the goals of Gesamtkunstwerk. Best of all, while I wasn’t actively continuing my search for faith that I had conducted in all my other travels, I still found faith at Birnau. I felt awed, humbled, and conscious of the power of God through the combination of all the artistic elements in the church. Judging by the silence of the other tourists in the nave, I have to say that they felt the same way we did. I’d recommend that anyone touring the Lake Constance area make the same effort to visit this shrine. It will not disappoint.
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