Bach's Hidden Manuscript — Decode the Lost Chaconne
Uncover the truth behind two rediscovered Bach manuscripts hidden for three centuries. Decipher cryptic clues across Leipzig's Bach heritage sites to authenticate the lost chaconnes before the archive's grand reveal.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In autumn 2025, musicologist Peter Wollny made an earth-shattering discovery: two previously unknown organ chaconnes by Johann Sebastian Bach, lost for nearly 300 years, were finally authenticated in
Bach's Hidden Manuscript — Decode the Lost Chaconne
You are Peter Wollny, director of the Bach-Archiv Leipzig, facing a pivotal moment on November 17, 2025.
Your mission: retrace the journey of Salomon Gu
Immerse yourself in Leipzig, following in the footsteps of Johann Sebastian Bach, and decode the secret of the two previously unheard Chaconnes, BWV 1178 and BWV 1179, revealed after 320 years.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« Music is the universal language of mankind. »— Johann Sebastian Bach
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at the Thomaskirche, a Gothic church founded in 1212 and rebuilt between 1409 and 1506. It was here that Johann Sebastian Bach served as Cantor for 27 years, from 1723 to 1750, and where he rests today. Imagine the scene on November 17, 2025, 320 years after their composition, when the two Chaconnes BWV 1178 and BWV 1179 were performed for the first time before 1600 people, a major musical discovery broadcast live by the Bach-Archiv Leipzig. The vaults, rising more than 25m high over an 80m long nave, resonated with these forgotten notes, marking a pivotal event for UNESCO's musical heritage.
Just opposite the Thomaskirche, on Thomasplatz, stands the Bach-Denkmal, a 3.5-meter-high bronze statue created by Carl Seffner and inaugurated on April 28, 1908. This monument depicts Bach holding a score, symbolizing the musical heritage you are exploring. It is a major tourist landmark in Leipzig, directly linked to the recent discoveries of 2025. In augmented reality, observe the score he holds come to life, revealing the first notes of the Chaconnes, as if the composer himself were entrusting you with his most intimate secrets.
Your journey then takes you to Coffe Baum, one of Germany's oldest cafes, founded in 1694 and located 400m from the Thomaskirche. Bach frequented this establishment and the nearby musical salons of Zimmermann's Coffee House. This cafe represents the vibrant musical and intellectual life of 18th-century Leipzig. Pass through the Nikolaikirche, 500m away, a Gothic church founded in 1165, where Bach also composed cantatas. This historical site was the starting point of the peaceful demonstrations of 1989, a reminder of Leipzig's importance in German history, well beyond its musical role.
Continue towards the Altes Rathaus, the Old Town Hall, on Marktplatz, 800m from the Thomaskirche. Built between 1556-1557 in a remarkable Renaissance style, with its 67m tower, this building has housed the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum since 1909. Bach knew this place during his years as Cantor (1723-1750), witnessing Leipzig's civic life. Then stroll to the Bach-Museum, less than 100m from the Thomaskirche. Opened in 1981 and renovated in 2018, it preserves over 200,000 archival pieces, including original Bach manuscripts and instruments. Since November 2025, it documents the two newly discovered Chaconnes (BWV 1178, BWV 1179), offering a unique insight into their history.
Finally, your investigation leads you to the Alte Handelsbörse, the Old Stock Exchange, a Baroque building from 1678-1687 on Naschmarkt, 600m from the Thomaskirche. This cultural and tourist center of Leipzig represents the era when Bach was active. By completing your journey, you will have not only deciphered the mysteries of the lost Chaconnes but also explored the heart of Leipzig, a city whose historical motto, "Schola Publica", reflects its role as a city of education and culture. This thematic circuit offers you a deep immersion into the history of Leipzig, the heritage of Saxony, and the legacy of one of the greatest Baroque composers, Johann Sebastian Bach, thus solidifying Leipzig's place as a capital of classical music and cultural tourism.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Musical Genius
Dive into the world of Johann Sebastian Bach and his compositions.
Sacred Heritage
Explore the historic churches where Bach served.
Baroque Investigation
Decipher clues to reconstruct a musical work.
Leipzig, an unfinished symphony.
Find the lost notes of a Bach cantata for eternity.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Immerse yourself in Leipzig, following in the footsteps of Johann Sebastian Bach, and decode the secret of the two previously unheard Chaconnes, BWV 1178 and BWV 1179, revealed after 320 years.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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