Oberammergau, situated at the foot of the Alps, is a province of Bavaria, Germany. It plays host to perhaps one of the most famous plays in the world.

Oberammergau Passion Play

The name Oberammergau is synonymous with the Passion Play which has been held in the village once every decade since the year 1634. The enactment of this play rose from the ashes of the Great Plague during which many people, both locally and worldwide, lost their lives. It was around this time that the villagers of the area vowed that if God spared the lives of the remaining population, they would enact this play depicting Christ's dying, his pain and hardship and then ultimately his resurrection.

On taking this oath, the villagers found that no more of their population succumbed to the Black Death. The village reenacts the play to this day, during both hardships and good times.

The play itself is performed, no matter what the weather, on a huge outdoor stage, and is made up of a 2,000-person cast who have each lived in Oberammergau for at least twenty years.

The music score for the play has remained unchanged since the year 1815, when it was written by a local schoolteacher, Rochus Dedler.

House Wall Painting

Widely believed to have been started by the craftsman Franz Seraph Zwinck who was born in 1748, "Lüftlmalerei" (house wall painting) became popular in this area in the 18th century. It was said to be a means for local well-to-do men to show their wealth. At the entrance of Oberammergau, the "Hänsel and Gretelhaus" is a wonderful example of this technique.

Woodcraft

Oberammergau has a very strong tradition of woodcarving which can be dated back to at least 1111. There is a manuscript which mentions a group of monks who were woodcarvers in Oberammergau around this period. In the 18th century, news of the quality of these carvings had spread so far and wide that distribution houses and traveling salesmen were employed throughout Europe to bring the carvings to a wider audience.

Even today, there is a thriving community of woodcarvers in Oberammergau, and the town hosts a carvers school which ensures that the tradition is kept alive.