Doktor-Faustus-Weg

None other than Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann was inspired by the pre-alpine setting in Polling to adapt Dr. Faust into literature. Like Goethe once did, Thomas Mann took up the medieval figure and created the fictional musician Adrian Leverkühn, who made a pact with the devil for musical genius. The trail not only takes up the story of the protagonist, but also that of the author Mann.

Author's tip: Those who undertake the Doctor Faustus Trail on Sundays can visit the museum in Polling in the afternoon. The Thomas Mann exhibition runs until December 2

Way description: The trail starts at the first board on the church square and leads north between the monastery and park to the manor house. There we open the garden gate and walk to board two, which is located at the entrance to the house with the abbot's sign. From there, the path follows the same route back to the church square. We cross the bridge and follow the stream northwards to the third and fourth signposts. From here, we follow Tassilostraße to the west and cross the railroad line. On a gravel path and forest trails, we reach the Ammerberg, the Streicherweiher and the community bench on the Schafbichl, from where we walk southeast to the asphalt path. Via the main road and the Tiefenbach bridge, we finally return to the starting point through the archway.

Pfaffenwinkel hiking map, scale 1:40,000, HW-Verlag, nominal fee 1 EUR, available from the Pfaffenwinkel tourist office, www.pfaffen-winkel.de