Weltenburg Abbey
The first abbey to be built on this site was founded in 600 by the Benedictines (who themselves built over a bronze-age temple). The present abbey dates from 1716–51 and is considered a pinnacle of European baroque architecture. Weltenburg was disbanded after Bavarian secularization, but reinstated in 1842 by King Ludwig II and repopulated with monks from a neighboring abbey, who carried on the 500-year-old beer brewing tradition. In fact, Weltenburg carries the distinction of being the oldest monastic brewery in the world, and visitors are encouraged to partake of the golden beverage in the abbey's lovely baroque courtyard along with a meal or snack in the abbey restaurant (where the beer is the star of the show by a longshot). Weltenburg is just under four miles from town and is reachable by frequent ferrys from the port.
