Marktl am Inn
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Marktl am Inn

Marktl am Inn

Bavarian Inn River village known as the birthplace of Pope Benedict XVI.

Marktl am Inn is a quiet village on the Inn river in southeastern Bavaria, near the Austrian border. It became famous in 2005 as the birthplace of Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, who that year became Pope Benedict XVI — the Benedict XVI Birthplace and Saint Oswald's Church, where he was baptised, are the main pilgrimage draws. Benedict resigned the papacy in 2013, the first pope to do so since the 15th century, and died in 2022. Pilgrims still come.

Beyond the papal connection, Marktl is a pleasant base for the surrounding area. Nearby Burghausen has the longest castle complex in Europe, stretching over a kilometre along a ridge above the Salzach river. Altötting, one of Germany's most important Catholic pilgrimage sites, is also just a short drive away. The countryside along the Inn is gentle and green, good for cycling and walking.

Guide

Day Trips

Marktl sits at the centre of one of Bavaria's most rewarding corners for day trips. Burghausen, just 20 kilometres south along the Salzach, has the longest castle complex in Europe — a kilometre-long chain of courtyards on a ridge above the river. Altötting, 15 kilometres west, is Germany's most important Catholic pilgrimage site and home to the Black Madonna, a tiny gilded chapel that draws millions of visitors each year.

Guide

Things to Do

Marktl am Inn is small enough to explore on foot in an hour. The two main draws are the Pope's birthplace and the parish church — but the riverside setting and proximity to Burghausen and Altötting make it a worthwhile stop for an afternoon in the Bavarian corner of the Inn-Salzach region.