Salvenkirchlein on the summit of the Hohe Salve

Salvenkirchlein was first mentioned in written documents dating from 1589. A Chiemsee register of births, deaths and marriages, talks of ‘Salvenberg – a St. John church’. The valleys around the Hohe Salve were settled from a very early date. The original pagan inhabitants of these valleys even celebrated their Sun festivals on the Salvenhöhe, which was blessed with lovely natural surroundings. At the end of the 19th century a bronze object relating to this was found on the Hohe Salve. However this find was declared as missing. At the time of Christianity the church on the Hohe Salve was dedicated to the saint of the solstice, St. John the Baptist.

Thanks to the accessibility of the summit many visitors soon came from all parts to see the pilgrimage church on the Hohe Salve. The first holy mass was read in 1617 by Pastor Ambros Strasser.

In 1640 the Salvenkirchlein was completely destroyed by a lightening strike and then completely re-built by 1643. However the chapel on the summit of the Hohe Salve was not spared further lightening strikes in other years. Hence the decision to install a lightening conductor on Salvenkirchlein in 1784. However in 1807 the pilgrimage church was destroyed again. Severely damaged by other weather events and having fallen into further disrepair, Salvenkirchlein was redeveloped between 1970-1972 and 1999. More fundamental refurbishment work was carried out on the chapel in 2017. The shingles and the roof were renewed.

24th June is the patronal feast of the Hohe Salve pilgrimage church. Other key celebratory days include St Anna Day on 25th July and Bartholomew's Day on 24th August.