Rohrdorf: Local Delights, St. James and Trails

Rohrdorf combines a village character shaped by orchards with Baroque church art and Alpine foothill scenery. When planning your trip, you can choose from a range of points of interest: regional specialties, St. James the Elder’s Church and hiking and cycling routes.

Local Delights and Alpine Foothill Scenery

In 2018, Rohrdorf was named one of Bavaria’s 100 culinary destinations. The village is also characterized by an exceptionally high proportion of orchards and regional products made from fruit. The award thus reflects a distinct agricultural character linked to fruit and its processing in Rohrdorf.

Rohrdorf lies in an Alpine foothill landscape of extensive forests, lush meadows and numerous lakes. Nearby is Samerberg, a high valley with designated nature reserves. When exploring the area, you can consider Rohrdorf’s Alpine foothill scenery and the nearby Samerberg high valley as two distinct landscapes.

St. James the Elder and Its Works of Art

The Baroque hall church of St. James the Elder stands on elevated ground near the town hall, and its location shapes the village’s appearance. The present-day church was built from 1769 to 1773. Its altars and artworks add their own art-historical and religious context to the building’s history.

The high altar dates from 1712 and features a seated figure of James created by the Master of Rabenden. The Marian altar, also known as the “Sorrowful Altar,” was erected by the Brotherhood in 1724. The church also contains a St. Lawrence altar, which also serves as the altar of the All Souls’ Brotherhood. Their names, dates and connections to the brotherhoods distinguish the altars from one another.

A painting in the nave depicts the rediscovery of the relics of St. James the Elder in the 9th century, the beginning of the veneration of St. James in the Western world, and the transfer of his remains to Compostela. A pilgrims’ cross made of Czech granite, with a plaque in Rohrdorf, points the way to Santiago de Compostela. The connection to St. James and pilgrimage thus appears both in the painting’s subject and in another named landmark in the village.

There is also a parish church in Höhenmoos, a district of the municipality of Rohrdorf: St. Peter and Paul was first mentioned in documents in the 8th century. This dates it further back than the construction of today’s Church of St. James.

Hiking and Cycling Routes

Numerous well-maintained hiking trails run along the Rohrdorfer Ache, away from busy roads. The Ache is therefore a clear landmark for Rohrdorf’s hiking routes.

From Rohrdorf, well-signposted cycling routes lead to numerous lakes and along the Inn as far as neighboring Tyrol. They include the Lake Constance–Lake Königssee Cycle Route. To choose between hiking and cycling, consider their different routes: the hiking trails follow the Ache, while the cycling routes lead to lakes and along the Inn as far as Tyrol.

Discover more destinations: Söchtenau, Edling, Soyen, Rosenheim, Ramerberg, Kolbermoor, Oberaudorf, Bernau Am Chiemsee

See the overview of destinations in the wider area: Rosenheim.