DEUTSCHLAND	GERMANY
Bundesland: Freistaat Bayern	Bavaria
Regierungsbezirk: Niederbayern
Landkreis: Straubing-Bogen

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Bogen is situated at an elevation of 320 m near the left bank of the river Danube in Lower Bavaria at the foothills of the Bayrischer Wald mountains in the district Straubing-Bogen, about 9 km northeast of the district town, Straubing. The municipality has a population of about 10,100 (2021).

Villa Pogana was already mentioned in the mid-8th century. Initially, the Babenbergs were the owners of the county. Subsequently, it became the seat of the counts of Bogen, whose white and blue diamond coat of arms still today is part of the Bavarian coat of arms. As early as 1220, Bogen was refered to as a 'forum' (market). After the death of the last Count of Bogen, their dominion fell to the Wittelsbach family in 1242. In 1341 Bogen received market rights. In the 15th century Bogen experienced a heyday in connection with the Bogenberg pilgrimage. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), the market suffered a significant loss of population. In the 18th century, the important pilgrimage to the Bogenberg pilgrimage church again brought about an upswing for the whole town.

The parish church Sankt Florian [left, no. 1085: centre, barely visible] was built in 1486. The frescos in the Late Gothic chancel date from 1521.

The pilgrimage church Heilig Kreuz und Mariä Heimsuchung (Holy Cross and Visitation of Our Lady) [top] on the summit of the Bogenberg about 120 m above the valley was built in 1446–1463 in Late Gothic style in place of an earlier Romanesque church. The interior decorations in Rococo style that were added in 1722–1730 were removed in 1876 and were replaced by Neo-Gothic decorations. According to the legend, the Romanesque stone sculpture of Our Lady was found floating upstream on the Danube in 1104. The pilgrimage site is the oldest Marian shrine in Bavaria.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogen_(Stadt)]