Regensburg/Bogen (dpa/lby) – Bavaria’s oldest Marian pilgrimage church, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on the Bogenberg in the Straubing-Bogen district, is being completely renovated. The diocese of Regensburg announced on Tuesday that the exterior renovation of the late Gothic hall church, built between 1448 and 1463, will begin in winter. Due to bats in the roof, the exterior renovation is only possible between September and February. It is expected to last two years. The interior is scheduled to be renovated in 2025. The state bears the costs. According to the diocese, the church above the Danube is the destination of more than 30 pilgrimages a year and a “real pilgrimage center” around Ascension Day and Pentecost.