Collegiate Parish Church of Sts. Philip and James

A late Gothic hall church on the older Carolingian and Romanesque ground of Altötting’s collegiate foundation.

Location
Altötting, Germany
48.2258° N · 12.6763° E
Type
Pilgrimage
Late Gothic hall church with older Romanesque fabric
Dedication
Saints Philip and James the Younger
01 · Why Go

A Gothic church on older sacred ground

A Gothic church on older sacred ground. A late Gothic hall church on the older Carolingian and Romanesque ground of Altötting’s collegiate foundation.

Carolingian foundation, Gothic church

Archaeological remains point to King Karlmann’s palace and collegiate basilica by 876. An Ottonian church followed around 1000 and a Romanesque rebuilding in 1228/31. The present late Gothic hall church rose in 1499–1511 when Marian pilgrimage overwhelmed the older church. Karlmann once gave the church an arm relic of St. Philip, but the parish says it is now lost.

Notice the surviving Romanesque westwork, carved oak portals, monumental crucifix and the seven-meter Tod von Eding clock. The cloister and Tilly Chapel hold further historical layers; the Tilly family remains are burials, not saint relics.

Read the Place

Read the layers of the church

A Gothic church on older sacred ground.

  1. 01 The older ground Archaeological remains point to King Karlmann’s palace and collegiate basilica by 876. An Ottonian church followed around 1000 and a Romanesque rebuilding in 1228/31. The present late Gothic hall church rose in 1499–1511 when Marian pilgrimage overwhelmed the older church. Karlmann once gave the church an arm relic of St. Philip, but the parish says it is now lost.
  2. 02 The church today Notice the surviving Romanesque westwork, carved oak portals, monumental crucifix and the seven-meter Tod von Eding clock. The cloister and Tilly Chapel hold further historical layers; the Tilly family remains are burials, not saint relics.
02 · Spiritual Significance

Spiritual Significance

The Gothic building stands above earlier churches and keeps the parish’s Catholic worship alive.

03 · Do Not Miss

Do Not Miss

2 Stops
  • 01

    Romanesque westwork

    Earlier stone survives within the later Gothic building.

  • 02

    Lost St. Philip relic

    Karlmann’s historic gift is no longer present; it is not a current object of veneration.

04 · How to Visit

How to Visit

A practical sequence

Enter the church as a living parish and pilgrimage place. Check the current parish and shrine program before arranging worship.

05 · Current practical information

Plan a visit to Collegiate Parish Church of Sts. Philip and James

Reviewed September 26, 2026 Official sources

Check the live Altötting pilgrimage program for worship, confession and access before travel. Times change through the year.

Location
Altötting, Bavaria, Germany
Worship and access
Check the official current program
Confirm the current program

Use the official shrine and church links rather than an evergreen timetable.

  • Mass, confession, adoration and access may vary.
07 · Map

Map

Altötting, Germany
Editorial sources

Coordinates identify the distinct building; check the official site before travel.

Last reviewed

September 26, 2026

Photo credits
  1. Hero. Photo: Rolf Kranz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Source. CC BY-SA 4.0.