Otterskirchen: Church, Ebersberg and local history

Otterskirchen combines local history with religious and cultural landmarks as well as hiking trails. When looking for a hotel in Otterskirchen, you can use these themes to help plan your stay: the history of St. Michael’s Parish Church, the local theater tradition and a trip to the observation tower on Ebersberg. The circular trails differ in length and route, giving you specific options when planning your hikes.

Parish Church and Local History

St. Michael’s Parish Church is part of one of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Passau. The church’s furnishings include an impressive acanthus altar. Around the year 800, a church was built in Otterskirchen under Passau’s choir bishop Ottokar; the town’s name derives from this foundation. At St. Michael’s, religious history and the traditional account of the origin of the town’s name come together.

Observation Tower and Circular Trails

Near Otterskirchen stands the 27-meter-high observation tower on Ebersberg, which rises 557 meters and is the highest elevation in the Vorwald. The tower was built in 1887. From there, the view stretches across the Danube Valley; in favorable weather, the Alps can also be seen. The tower key can be picked up in advance from the Tourist Information office in Windorf. Check the pickup arrangements before your hike so you can take this step into account when planning.

Circular trail No. 15 and 17, which is 11 kilometers long, runs from Otterskirchen via Hidring and Ebersberg to the observation tower. The return route goes via Rettenberg, Lapperding, the plague column and Hintergalgenberg back to Otterskirchen. As a shorter alternative, easy circular hiking trail No. 18 runs for 5.1 kilometers through the countryside around Otterskirchen. Comparing the lengths helps with your choice: the tower loop is 11 kilometers, while No. 18 is an easy circular trail of 5.1 kilometers.

Theater and Places of Remembrance

Theater history here dates back to the 19th century: the first documented report of a theater performance in Otterskirchen is from 1898. The Otterskirchen Theater Group performed “Da Grantlhuaber” in 2023, “Das verflixte Klassentreffen” in 2024 and “Beim Ochsenwirt geht’s rund” in 2025. These three titles provide a glimpse into the documented seasons of those years.

The war memorial in Otterskirchen was dedicated on May 22, 1921, and is located at the northern entrance to the cemetery next to St. Michael’s Parish Church. Nearby, in Lapperding, stands the plague column. The people of Otterskirchen erected it in memory of the 482 people who died of the plague in the parish in 1649. The plague column is also on the route of the 11-kilometer loop, which returns to Otterskirchen via Lapperding.

In the wider destination of Windorf

Windorf also offers its own cultural and natural attractions. An exhibition of ship models is on display at the Windorf Tourist Information office. The Sieben-Brückerl-Weg trail leads from Windorf via Hacklsdorf and Hirnschnell to the Siebenbrückerl Chapel. From there, it continues via Frauendorf on the return route, or via Wimberg along the shortest route back to Windorf.

On Windorf’s Danube Island, two signposted circular trails offer views of the island, the Danube and the surrounding area. Together with the Sieben-Brückerl-Weg, these are independent options in the wider destination of Windorf; they complement the local history and hiking routes you can find in Otterskirchen.

Discover more destinations: Rathsmannsdorf.

Return to the wider travel overview: Windorf.