Pfarrkirche St. Georg Ruhpolding
The church sits on a hill above Ruhpolding, and the climb — a short one — is part of arriving. Step inside and your eyes adjust to the Rococo interior: the twisted columns of the high altar, the gilded niche on the right where a Romanesque Madonna from around 1220 has been watching over the room for eight centuries, the pew plaques still bearing the names of 18th-century families who sat in the same seats you might take.
Look down at the baptismal font. A large black stone sphere rests on the back of a carved green devil. This is not a church that does things quietly.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to linger at the organ case — the carved wooden housing dates to 1795, made by Johannes Schneider, and survived every subsequent rebuild. The guided tours after Sunday mass are short and specific; the volunteer guides know which details the eye skips. Arrive at the altar steps just as the service ends.
The story behind Pfarrkirche St. Georg Ruhpolding
The current church replaced an older one on the same elevated site. Construction began in 1738 under Johann Baptist Gunetzrhainer, a Munich court master builder, and the building took nearly two decades to complete — the tower wasn't finished until 1757. Bishop Franz Karl Eusebius von Waldburg-Friedberg und Trauchburg of Chiemsee consecrated it on 21 July 1754. The altarpieces were painted by Matthias Daburger of Landshut and dated 1749, installed while the building was still being finished.
Ruhpolding only became its own independent parish on 16 February 1811, having been administered from Vachendorf before that. A roof renovation in 2021–22 used traditional Biberschwanz tiles to match the originals; the old tiles were sent to a chapel in Freising rather than discarded.
Good to know
Park at the Speedway Stadium and walk three minutes uphill to Kirchberggasse 10. No admission fee. Sunday mass at 10:00 is followed by guided tours at the altar steps. The Georgiritt procession on the first Sunday in September fills the surrounding streets.
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What travellers say about Pfarrkirche St. Georg Ruhpolding
Beautiful church with beautiful scenery! ✝️
Very beautiful church in a beautiful place.
Beautiful church on top of the hill
A beautiful church and impressive cemetery with stunning mountain views. A visit is highly recommended.
A venerable, historically significant church from the 18th century, whose walls are steeped in impressive history.
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