Where is Oberammergau?

Oberammergau is a town located approximately 60 miles from Munich. The town is beautiful, surrounded by majestic mountains and picturesque meadows. The village is known for woodcarving. There are dozens of woodcarver shops. The town is also famous for its Bavarian themes painted along side many of the homes and buildings.

History of the Passion Play

What made the town famous, was its performance of the Passion of Christ every decade. It is believed that the Passion Play has been held every 10 years since 1634. A play of life and death, promised in a moment of mortal threat, and so began the history of the Oberammergau Passion Play in 1633.  During that time, the Black Plague was sweeping through Europe. The villagers of Oberammergau vowed that if their town was spared, they would perform the Passion of Christ every 10 years. The town was spared, and it is amazing that they have been honoring this pledge from generation to generation.

The Passion Play performance follows Christ from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem through His Trial, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension.

Interesting Facts About the Oberammergau Passion Play

• To be in the play, you must be a resident of Oberammergau.
• Over 2,000 citizens are involved including acting, singing, musicians and technical support.
• There are 124 speaking roles, a 65-member orchestra, 48 person chorus and hundreds of people involved in the back end including stagehands, seamstresses, firemen, auditorium attendants and more.
• Men grow out their hair and beards to make the look authentic to the time. Costumes are hand made.
• The play is held May through late September or early October.  During these months, the play is performed 5 days per week in an open-air theater which seats about 4,700 people. The performance begins at 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is then a dinner break, and the play resumes from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• The play is performed in German, but it doesn’t seem to stop people from all over the world, including those that are not of religious backgrounds that are intrigued by the way the town comes together to perform this play. It is anticipated over 750,000 will attend in 2020.

The Passion Play theater is open, and the background of the mountains makes it an unforgettable scene.

Preparations are underway for the next Passion Play in the tiny Bavarian hamlet of Oberammergau.  The shows in 2020 may seem distant, but the excitement and planning is already building for the next production.  Demand for tickets is sure to be high and space on trips is limited.  Plenty of companies will offer tickets to the Passion Play, but we only offer the most reputable companies that have been in business for over 50 years.  During past Passion Play some vendors used bad hotels or did not even provide tickets to the guests.  That will not happen when you book with us.  The best tickets and hotel accommodations are given to companies that have booked Passion Play for decades.  Historically the Passion Play tickets and packages were sold 12 to 18 months in advance – this will be the first time that the play packages will be offered over 2 years in advance. We suggest staying right in Oberammergau is possible so you have time to visit the quaint town. We sold out every tour in 2000 and 2010. Book today to guarantee your spot!

See our 2020 vacations featuring the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany!