The monastery was established as a 'Knight's Academy' to combine religious devotion with secular chivalric education.
The brewery is one of the oldest in the region, using a recipe based on over 50 specific alpine herbs.
The church dome measures 24 meters in diameter, making it one of the largest in the German-speaking world.
The monastery was secularized in 1803 but was re-established by Benedictine monks in 1900.
The abbey complex includes a gymnasium (school) that has been active for decades.
The monastery produces its own brand of gin, utilizing botanicals sourced from the surrounding Bavarian mountains.
Ettal Abbey is a major Benedictine monastery located in the Ammergau Alps, founded by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian in 1330. Its centerpiece is a rare dodecagonal church featuring an expansive Baroque dome with significant frescoes by Johann Jakob Zeiller. The monastery operates an active distillery producing herbal liqueurs and beer according to centuries-old monastic traditions. Monks living on-site maintain a boarding school and provide hospitality services to pilgrims and visitors. The abbey's library and interior decorations reflect the transition from High Baroque to Rococo aesthetics. It serves as a central hub for the spiritual and economic life of the Ettal village.
From the monastery courtyard looking back toward the main portal and dome.
Visit the onsite monastery shop to sample the locally distilled herbal liqueurs.
Walk the perimeter of the complex to view the architecture against the backdrop of the Kofel mountain.
Check the visitor center for schedules of guided tours covering the church interior and the distillery process.
Do not overlook the small museum near the entrance, which explains the historical development of the site.
Modest dress is required inside the church; hats should be removed and noise kept to a whisper.
