#uniquedestinations
Oberammergau is a small town located in the Bavarian Alps, not far from Munich. The town is famous for its woodcarving tradition, which has been kept alive since 1520, and also for the magnificently painted facades of its buildings. The citizens of the town have created real masterpieces that represent biblical scenes, peasant paintings, local fairy tales and other classic representations.
The show that takes place every ten years
But Oberammergau is really famous for the Passion Play that takes place here every ten years. The Passion Play was first performed in 1634 and was the result of the vow made by the inhabitants: if God spared their village from the plague, they would perform a passion play every ten years. According to the myth, a man arrived at the town for Christmas and had brought the plague with him. The plague began to spread throughout Oberammergau; however, once the vow was made, no further inhabitants of the town perished. Simultaneously, all the townspeople afflicted by the plague eventually recovered.
The play is performed in years that end in zero, as well as in 1934 (300th anniversary) and 1984 (350th anniversary). Nowadays, it is an event attended by over 2000 local actors, singers, musicians, and technicians. The play features excellent production, fascinating music, well-written scripts, stunning sets, and inventive costumes. It runs for about six hours and is divided into sixteen acts. The play is written in German, but a textbook with translations in several languages is published each time.
Buy your tickets
In 2010 the show was attended by over 500.000 people from all over the world. The next shows are going to be held in 2020 and 2030 (from May to October), and you could already buy tickets. For more information check the official site.
Buy your tickets, visit this picturesque village and watch a magnificent show that you could attend only every ten years.
This is an official video presenting the show and how it is created:
