Pfarrkirche St. Pankratius in Ranshofen

Ranshofen is located about 4 km (south) of the center of Braunau. It was first mentioned in a document as early as 788 under the name Rantesdorf, as a ducal palace or estate of the Bavarian dukes, and was even elevated to the status of a royal palace under the Carolingians in the 9th century.

In the 11th century, Emperor Henry III and his wife Kunigunde founded the parish of Ranshofen.
In 1125, Duke Henry IX of Bavaria founded a monastery following the Rule of St. Augustine.
During the War of the Landshut Succession (1504–1505), the church and monastery were severely damaged. In 1508, construction began on the new Gothic collegiate church. In the first half of the 17th century, a new monastery wing, among other structures, was built.

To mark the 800th anniversary of the monastery’s founding, the church and monastery were renovated in the Baroque style in 1699. Prominent Bavarian artists created the church’s decorations and furnishings.
In 1851, Ferdinand Wertheimer acquired the castle. The Wertheimer family owned the large complex, including its extensive grounds, until 1938.

Particularly worth seeing is the monastery church (now the parish church), which was given a Baroque makeover in the 17th century and is famous for the ornate acanthus decorations on its six side altars (“Acanthus Alley”).