A Quick Tour of Weingarten and St.Martin's Basilica

(This post published on March 15, 2025)

Tuesday June 11, 2019 -- After the short walk I took with my uncle to the Zundelbacher Linden Tree and Rösslerweiher in the morning (see photos HERE), I headed into the town of Weingarten to go have another look at the beautiful St.Martin's Basilica, where I had been several times before. 

The Benedictine Monastery here was grounded in 1056 by a member of the powerful House of Welf (Guelf) Dynasty, and the current Baroque building, whose foundation stone was laid in 1715, replaced the original Romanesque church. With a height of 67 meters and length of 102 meters, this is the largest Baroque church in Germany, and actually the largest Baroque church north of the Alps. The church and its history also revolves around a Holy Blood Relic, discovered in Mantua Italy in 1048, which was donated to the Abbey by Welf and has been adored and worshipped for over 900 years (2019 was the 925th anniversary of the arrival of the blood relic in Weingarten). Every year the city holds a "Procession of Blood" with over 3000 horses participating in the procession, the largest equestrian procession in Europe. 

I also went to have a look at the houses where my Mom grew up and where my Grandmother last lived, a tiny apartment in an old building next to the Basilica, a place I visited many times when I lived in Switzerland in the 1980's.

I entered the grounds of the St.Martin Baroque church in Weingarten at about 11:45. The lion sculpture is the heraldic animal of the House of Welf, a European Dynasty which influenced the history of Germany for centuries, and who grounded the Benedictine Order here in 1056. 

In front of the metal lion sculpture, this panel gives a bit of history of the establishment of the Benedictine Monastery here. Weingarten was the main place of residence of the House of Welf from the 9th to the 11th Centuries. The Benedictine Monastery was established in 1056 as the main repository for the family. In 1094, Welf made a gift to the Monastery of a Blood Relic found in Mantua (Italy), and this Blood-Relic has defined the city since that time. 

The Basilica is logically one of the main religious sites along the long-distance pilgrim trail "Santiago de Compostela". 

Details of the side entrance to the church. 

Tourism information for St. Martin's Basilica: It is a Baroque Jewel in honor of "The Holy Blood". The construction of the Basilica was based on the dimensions of St.Peter's in the Vatican, and is thus nicknamed "Swabian St.Peter's". The church was completed in only seven years between 1715 an 1724, although the original Benedictine Monastery was grounded here in 1056 by the Welf Family. The building was made in honor of the "Blood Relic" which was donated to the monastery by the Welf Family in 1094. There are many art treasures here, including the organ with 6666 pipes. Furthermore, the church received its designation as Basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1956. (WIKIPEDIA INFO)

Interior of the sumptuous St.Martin's Baroque Basilica. A main feature of Baroque buildings is the light airiness of the interior. 

So many typical and intricate Baroque artwork here. 

The spectacular organ, built between 1735 and 1750 by Joseph Gabler (one of the most prominent organ builders in southern Germany during the Baroque Period) apparently has 6666 pipes. 

Domes and side altars

Several side altars. 

So much artwork on the ceiling. Reminiscent of St.Peter's in the Vatican, after which this church was modeled. (It is apparently half the size of St.Peter's).

Dome above the main altar. 

Such detailed artwork on the ceilings. 

More details of the fabulous stucco, carvings, frescoes and paintings inside this church. 

A final look at the front side of the beautiful building before making my way into the old town of Weingarten. 

Side note: Lots of information about the "Adoration of the Holy Blood Relic". This year, 2019 was the 925th anniversary of the arrival of the Blood Relic found in Mantua, Italy. Every year in May, a large procession takes place to honor the "Holy Blood". It is called "Blutritt", or "Procession of the Blood", and is considered the largest equine procession in Europe, with over 3000 horses participating. We were able to watch this procession in May 2015, but unfortunately it was rainy weather at the time.

Steps down from the Basilica to the old part of the city of Weingarten. 

After photographing the inside of the beautiful Baroque church, I walked into the old town of Weingarten, mainly to go down the roads where my Mom grew up during World War II, and where my Grandmother lived until she passed away in the 1990's. 

This is the apartment where my grandmother lived when I first visited her as a child in the 1960's and later again in the 1980's. You had to enter by the small door and climb up a narrow staircase to the third-floor apartment. 

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And in this second-story apartment is where my Mom grew up during the Second World War. 

View of the Basilica as I make my way back up the hill to where my aunt and uncle live. 

Back at my aunt's home at 13:10

In the evening, we all walked back down into town for a dinner at a fancy restaurant in the Akzent Hotel Restaurant Altdorfer Hof, but as I recall, my Uncle wasn't very happy with the meal, the fish was cold. The next morning, they drove us to Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance to catch the ferry back to Switzerland. Urs met us there, and we were all going to walk along the lakeshore, but it was raining too heavily, so we just got on the next boat back and headed home. 

Dinner in the fancy restaurant at the Akzent Hotel Restaurant Altdorfer Hof

Dinner in the fancy restaurant at the Akzent Hotel Restaurant Altdorfer Hof

Dinner in the fancy restaurant at the Akzent Hotel Restaurant Altdorfer Hof

And finally, a Google Satellite Image of the huge grounds of the St.Martin Baroque church in Weingarten, and the largest Baroque church north of the Alps. In the circle is where my grandmother lived, and where we visited her often over the years between 1983 and 1991.