The Sunday Drive Mystery: Dating an Unknown Bavarian Baroque Church from a 35mm Slide

This image, pulled from a 35mm slide, captures a serene, sunlit scene that is rich with historical and geographical clues: a beautiful church set against rolling hills, a field of grass, and a few vehicles, one of which is the star of the show.

1. The Architecture: The Zwiebelturm

The most striking feature is the church tower, crowned with a distinctive dark, rounded, onion-shaped dome—a style known in German as a Zwiebelturm. This is the most significant geographical clue, as this Baroque style of cupola is overwhelmingly common in Southern Germany (Bavaria) and parts of Austria.

• Conclusion: The church is almost certainly located in the Upper Bavaria or Lower Bavaria region of Germany, a center for Baroque and Rococo Catholic architecture.

2. The Car: Dating the Image

The white sedan in the foreground provides the strongest evidence for dating the photograph:

• The Car Model: The car appears to be a BMW 1500, 1800, or 2000 (part of the "Neue Klasse" or "New Class" series). Production for this influential model began in 1962.

• The License Plate: The plate reads B · CU 528. The "B" indicates the vehicle was registered in Berlin. While the car is miles from Berlin, this detail confirms the photograph was taken on a road trip or driving holiday by West German citizens.

• The Film: The colour saturation and slightly faded tones are typical of mid-century colour slide film (like Agfacolor or early Kodachrome), reinforcing the date.

3. The Landscape: A Rural Backdrop

The church sits adjacent to a field with rolling hills in the background, suggesting it is a significant feature of a rural village or small town in the Alpine foothills. The landscape is not a major city, making it a smaller, lesser-known parish church or abbey.

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Where in Bavaria? (A New Search)

While the exact location remains a mystery without boots-on-the-ground searching, this structure is typical of many fine parish churches, such as those found in towns like Ebersberg, Wasserburg am Inn, or smaller towns in the Landshut area.

The church's size and style suggest it may have belonged to a former Abbey (Kloster) or served as a prominent pilgrimage church (Wallfahrtskirche) in the area.

This stunning slide not only documents a beautiful piece of architecture but also freezes a moment in time: a German family from Berlin on a road trip through the heart of Bavaria in the mid-1960s.

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The High Andes? A 35mm Mystery on the Mountain Slope

 This latest find from my collected box of 35mm slides is a breath taking one. It’s a truly dramatic shot, capturing a hiking or trekking group making their way up a steep, rocky, scrub-covered slope towards a towering, snow-capped mountain and a visible glacier. The sheer scale and rugged beauty immediately make it one of the most compelling photos in the collection.

The image is so rich in detail that I'm hoping we can use it to pinpoint its location and perhaps even the date it was taken. Let’s do some photographic detective work!

Clues to the Location: Where in the World?

The geography is the biggest clue here. This isn't just any mountain; it possesses specific characteristics:

1. High Altitude Environment: The presence of a large, accessible glacier and the rocky, barren terrain indicates a very high elevation, likely above the treeline.

2. Vegetation: The foreground is covered in tussock grasses and low, tough scrub. This type of vegetation is often characteristic of alpine tundra or páramo environments.

3. Mountain Structure: The peak itself is intensely craggy and heavily glaciated, suggesting a geologically young and very high mountain range. The style of glaciation (steep ice faces, deep crevasses) is notable.

4. Trekking Style: The people visible are carrying significant backpacks and seem to be on a well-established, though rocky, trail. This looks like a multi-day high-altitude trek.

Based on these factors, my strongest initial suspicion leans toward the South American Andes, specifically in areas known for dramatic glacial peaks and trekking, such as Peru (like the Cordillera Blanca) or Bolivia. The intense light, the nature of the rock, and the type of scrub feel very Andean.

Clues to the Date: A Vintage Vibe

Dating the slide requires looking at the gear and the photographic style:

• The Look of the Film: The image exhibits a high-contrast, slightly grainy quality with a distinctive colour palette—particularly the rich, almost overly saturated golden-browns and olive-greens in the foreground foliage. This is highly suggestive of Ektachrome or a similar film stock from the 1970s or early 1980s.

• The Gear: Take a close look at the trekkers' backpacks. They appear to be external frame or early internal frame packs, which were popular from the 1970s through the 1990s. The colours (greens, reds) and materials look "vintage" compared to modern synthetic, sleek packs.

• Clothing: The visible clothing is bulky and layered, but not necessarily modern technical wear. There's a look of heavy, possibly wool or thick canvas materials.

Combining the film characteristics and the gear suggests this photo was most likely taken sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s.

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