Pettstadt – Baroque Church and Historic Wayside Shrines

Pettstadt can be explored through its churches, sacred artworks and recurring festivals. The Parish Church of the Nativity of Mary brings together several historical periods: alongside the Baroque church building, older furnishings have also been preserved. Outside the church, wayside shrines and monuments add to the town’s historic character. When planning your stay, the church’s history and local festival dates can offer different focuses for your trip.

A Church and Artworks Spanning Several Periods

The parish of Pettstadt was established in 1399 and placed under the authority of the Bamberg Cathedral Chapter as its feudal lord. Construction of today’s Baroque Parish Church of the Nativity of Mary began in 1754. The building was completed in 1756, and the church was consecrated on August 17, 1777. The construction period, completion and consecration thus mark three distinct stages in the church’s history.

The furnishings can also be placed in their historical context. The church contains a Late Gothic sacrament house dating from 1494, decorated with the coats of arms of two Bamberg cathedral canons. The high altar was added later: Johann Bernhard Kamm created it in 1769 as a freestanding architectural structure. Frescoes from the period’s artistic style have been preserved in the tower chapel. They include depictions of Christ in a mandorla, Mary, John the Baptist and other saints. Thus, a Late Gothic furnishing and works from the era of the Baroque church stand side by side in the same parish church.

Wayside Shrines and Monuments in Pettstadt

Just before the Ebrach Bridge stands a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of Bohemia, erected on May 16, 1872. Another wayside shrine, the Baroque Lieb Herrchela dating from 1727, is located near the cemetery on the old connecting path to Erlach. Two lime trees frame it. Both examples link a precisely dated work of art with a specific place in the Pettstadt area.

The Franzosenmarter stands near the bridge over the Rauhe Ebrach. It is thought to date from the beginning of the 16th century. At Kaulberg 2, a sandstone sculpture in the front garden of the Kraus property depicts Jesus resting beside the cross. The Unteres Kreuz stands in the forest on the Mainberg: it is located at a fork in the road, at the end of Erlacher Straße. These locations range from the bridge area and the old path to Erlach to the forest.

A historical record of Pettstadt’s ferry rights has also been preserved: their holders can be traced by name back to 1461. This adds another aspect of the town’s history to the dated ecclesiastical and artistic evidence.

Festivals Throughout the Year

Three recurring events mark the seasons in Pettstadt’s calendar. The Rose Festival takes place on the fourth weekend in June, and the street festival on the third weekend in July. The Christmas market is scheduled for the third weekend of Advent. As the exact dates vary from year to year, it is advisable to check the current festival dates before your trip. This lets you plan your stay around the seasonal event you want to attend.

Discover more destinations: Walsdorf, Oberhaid, Burgebrach, Litzendorf, Baunach, Steinfeld, Buttenheim, Schlüsselfeld

See the main travel overview: Bamberg.