Passion Theater Oberammergau

One of the most famous and oldest theatres in Europe is the Passion Theatre in Oberammergau. Every ten years, the great Passion Play is performed here, which is seen by up to half a million visitors throughout the year. In addition to the Passion performance, the theatre is also used for numerous events, including operas, concerts and theatre performances.

Exhibition and guided tours

The exhibition in the Passion Theatre deals with the history of the Oberammergau tradition from the 17th century to the present day. On display are historical costumes, films and music from the Oberammergau region in the 1930s and today. There are also regular guided tours of the Passion Theatre.

The games in crisis

The last Passion Play took place in 2010. In the course of the centuries the Passion plays had to fight with some crises, wars, national prohibitions and political and social changes threatened the Oberammergauer tradition, nevertheless the Oberammergauer did not lose the courage to continue and dare again and again a new beginning.

The next Passion Plays will take place from 16 May to 4 October 2020. Ticket sales start on 06 March 2019.

The Oberammergau Passion Plays date back to the year 1633. During the invasion of the Swedes in the Thirty Years' War, Bavaria was hit by a plague epidemic that claimed many victims, in the village of Oberammergau alone there were 80. The community leaders hoped for God's help and vowed to keep the Passion tragedy every 10 years if the village no longer had to suffer from the plague. The plague disappeared and in 1643 a Passion Play took place for the first time. From 1680, however, the games were postponed to the round ten years.

Since the 19th century, passion play has been known all over the world.

The Passion Theatre is located in the centre of Oberammergau.