Epfach: Roman History and Church Architecture

Epfach combines local Roman history with archaeological evidence and church architecture. Roman history takes center stage at the Abodiacum Museum, while further historical layers can be found on Lorenzberg. The parish church of St. Bartholomew adds an art-historical feature to this focus. This gives visitors different ways to explore Epfach’s history: an exhibition, an archaeological hill, and a church building.

Location and Cycling Route

Epfach lies just beyond the B 17, directly on the western bank of the Lech. The section of the Via Claudia Augusta from Landsberg to Schongau passes Lorenzberg, with the Church of St. Lawrence in Epfach. For cyclists, this provides a tangible link between the route and the town. The location on the Lech and the named route section add a sense of place to Epfach’s historical themes.

Roman History at the Museum and on Lorenzberg

The Abodiacum Museum presents Epfach’s 400-year Roman history; Abodiacum is also a name for Epfach. A permanent exhibition covers the town’s Roman history. Models illustrate a Roman bath, the 2nd-century road settlement, and 4th-century Lorenzberg. There are also reproductions and selected original objects. Several subjects are presented side by side: a bath, a settlement, and the hill. The references to the 2nd and 4th centuries place two of the subjects on a timeline.

Lorenzberg’s historical connections extend beyond the model exhibition: the Romans established a military station there as early as 14 BC. The archaeological monument on the hill also includes a Carolingian settlement. Roman and Carolingian layers of history therefore meet on Lorenzberg. Traces of the first major Roman excavations, carried out in 1830, still shape the hill’s appearance today. The Chapel of St. Lawrence on the hill of the same name in Epfach is also a visitor attraction. The Lorenzberg model depicts a period later than the Roman military station of 14 BC.

Church Architecture and Earlier Archaeological Finds

The parish church of St. Bartholomew is the only building in the Empire style in the district of Landsberg am Lech. This distinction places it not only in the local context but also within a broader architectural-historical framework. The area around the Catholic parish church in Epfach contains underground medieval and early modern remains of its predecessor buildings. The church’s Empire-style architecture and the underground remains represent different historical layers at the same site. The archaeological traces should be distinguished from the architectural classification of the building.

The similarly named Church of St. Lawrence and Chapel of St. Lawrence are different buildings: the Via Claudia section passes Lorenzberg, with the Church of St. Lawrence in Epfach; the Chapel of St. Lawrence is on the hill of the same name. If you plan to visit the museum, check the latest opening details before your trip.

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