Andechs Abbey, Catholic pilgrimage church in Andechs, Bavaria, Germany

Andechs Abbey is a pilgrimage church above Herrsching am Ammersee, built from 1423 to 1427 as a three-aisled Gothic hall church with a choir ambulatory. Its square west tower rises about 60 m to an octagonal top with an onion dome and lantern, added in 1675. Inside, three of the four Gothic pier pairs remain, carrying flat domes and Rococo stucco by Johann Baptist Zimmermann and Johann Georg Üblhör.

The pilgrimage began in 1388, when relics were found under the altar of the former castle chapel of Andechs. The Augustinian canons of Dießen built the present hall church between 1423 and 1427; Duke Ernst founded a canons' monastery in 1438, and Albrecht III turned it into a Benedictine abbey in 1455. A lightning strike burned the church out on 3 May 1669, and it was rebuilt by 1675.

The site draws visitors from across the region who come to pray and experience the sense of community among pilgrims. Many leave personal items and candles as signs of their prayers and devotion.

The abbey sits on a hilltop and is reached from the parking area via a steep path. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and expect crowds, particularly during pilgrimage seasons and weekends.

The Andechs legend links part of the relic treasure to the High Middle Ages, long before the 1388 find under the altar of the former castle chapel. The relics were first taken to the Munich court chapel, and the most important pieces later returned to the hill.