Altoetting - Gnadenkapelle

Already in 748, the place was a palace of the Agilolfinger, dukes of Bavaria. Forty years later it became the Carolingian royal palace. King Carloman of Bavaria (aka "Karlmann"), the oldest son of Louis the German founded a collegiate church in Altoetting in 876. This church got destroyed by Hungarian troops in 917. Only the octagon of the baptistery survived the destruction. The collegiate got refounded and the church got rebuilt later.

In 1489 there were reports of two healing miracles which started the pilgrimage to Altoetting, that became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations of its time.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Altoetting (aka "Chapel of Grace") is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The shrine is often called the "Lourdes of Germany".

The octagonal chapel in the center dates back to the 8th century. The nave was added in 1494. Some historians even date the chapel back to about 660. It was probably once part of an Agilolfingian or Carolingian structure.

Inside the shrine is a "Black Madonna" (dated ~ 1330). There is a porch gallery around the building. Here more than 2000 ex-votos are nailed to the walls and ceilings.

Three popes were under the many pilgrims, that entered the chapel. Pope Pius VI was in Altoetting in 1782, Pope John Paul II visited in 1980 and in 2006 Pope Benedict XVI came to Altoetting. For him this was probably not the first visit to the Shrine, as he was born under the name of Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in Marktl, just 10kms to the east.