Schmiechen: Stations of the Cross and Circular Hiking Trail

In Schmiechen, you can choose between two routes with different focuses: The Stations of the Cross ends at the Maria Kappel Pilgrimage Church with the 15th station. The “Maria Kappel in Schmiechen” circular hiking trail is just under 4 km long and partly follows the old pilgrims’ route. This lets you distinguish the endpoint of the Stations of the Cross from a circular route whose length and waypoints shape your plans.

Maria Kappel Pilgrimage Church and the Stations of the Cross

The Maria Kappel Pilgrimage Church marks the endpoint of the Stations of the Cross; the 15th station is located there. If you choose your travel destinations based on a pilgrimage site, this is a clearly defined landmark. The station number identifies the final point of the Stations of the Cross; by contrast, the circular hiking trail can be identified by its length and the places named along the route.

Circular hiking trail with historic waypoints

The “Maria Kappel in Schmiechen” circular hiking trail passes the Hyacinth Chapel and the remains of a castle that was also owned by the Fugger family. The route therefore combines a historic pilgrims’ route, a named chapel and a reference to former Fugger ownership. This mix is useful when choosing between focusing on the endpoint of the Stations of the Cross and taking a circular route with several points of historical interest. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

More topics in the wider Aichach-Friedberg destination

The wider Aichach-Friedberg destination has other cultural attractions located in different towns. The Herrgottsruh Pilgrimage Church in Friedberg was built between 1731 and 1753 and is considered one of the finest examples of Bavarian Rococo. Friedberg’s Wittelsbach Castle originated as a High Medieval castle built around 1257 under Duke Ludwig II the Strict. These examples offer different historical perspectives: one focuses on Rococo church architecture, the other on the origins of a castle in Wittelsbach history.

Aichach also offers its own points of interest in the town’s history. The Wittelsbach Museum is housed in the Lower Gate; the town museum vividly recounts Aichach’s history. In the wider destination, you can therefore choose between several topics: the endpoint of the Stations of the Cross in Schmiechen, sacred architecture and castle history in Friedberg, or Aichach’s town history.

There are other options for hiking across the wider Aichach-Friedberg destination. The hiking brochure “Hiking Aichach – The Most Beautiful Walks Around Aichach” features 15 walks and hiking trails in and around Aichach. The Paartal hiking trail follows the middle reaches of the Paar from Aichach to Gut Schenkenau in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district and is 36.8 km long in total. Compared with the circular hiking trail in Schmiechen, which is just under 4 km long, this is a significantly longer route—a useful comparison when deciding between a short loop and a longer hike.

If you are looking for a cycling option instead of hiking, the Aichach-Friedberg district cycling map features 14 well-signposted themed cycling routes. This offers a distinct regional perspective alongside the hiking trails mentioned above and the local Stations of the Cross in Schmiechen.

Discover more destinations: Affing, Aichach, Kissing, Rehling, Baar, Mering, Petersdorf, Steindorf.

Back to the wider travel guide: Aichach-Friedberg.