Mariä Himmelfahrt, Catholic pilgrimage church in Buggenhofen, Bissingen, Germany

Mariä Himmelfahrt is a Catholic pilgrimage church in Buggenhofen, built of plastered rubble and brick masonry. Its seven-storey tower rises at the north choir angle, with a square base and octagonal upper storeys topped by an onion dome. The single-nave interior has a barrel-vaulted nave and a three-bay choir with stucco frames around ceiling frescoes.

In 1471 residents found an altar and a carved image of Mary in a thicket; that same year Abbot Johann Strehler of Heilig Kreuz in Donauwörth laid the foundation stone, and a papal indulgence for pilgrims followed in 1487. During the Thirty Years' War the church was plundered three times, losing bells, windows and doors. In 1678/80 the choir and probably the nave were re-vaulted and two confession chapels added; the tower was renewed in 1702/03, and the interior was redone for the 1768/70 pilgrimage jubilee.

The church keeps 191 votive pictures from the 18th and 19th centuries, left by pilgrims at the shrine. The ceiling frescoes in the two confession chapels show the finding of the miraculous image and its veneration by the faithful, with the pilgrimage church in the background. Above the choir arch hangs the coat of arms of the Counts of Oettingen, former landlords of the village.

The church sits near the Geopark Ries and connects to several cycling routes that visitors can explore. The surrounding area works well for combining a visit to the site with biking or walking through the region.

The nave fresco shows the Coronation of Mary with the four continents paying homage, framed by stucco cartouches of her virtues. Above the choir arch, putti surround the coat of arms of the Counts of Oettingen, former landlords of the village. The organ front, inlaid wood set with vases, was made by Franz Henle in 1730.