The market is located northwest of Dachau and almost in the middle of the triangle formed by the cities of Munich, Augsburg and Ingolstadt.

In 750 A.D. a wandering monk named Alto came to the area and founded a small monastery.

Welf I, Duke of Bavaria brought 1,056 monks to colonize the newly founded monastery vineyard in Altdorf (now Weingarten), while the nuns previously established in Altdorf came to Altomünster.

In 1496, Duke George of Bavaria gave nuns of the Order of St. Bridget of Sweden from Maihingen permission to found a monastery at Altomünster.

Today, apart from a branch in Bremen, it is the last monastery of the Order of St. Bridget of Sweden in Germany.

In 1823, Altomünster lost its town status and became a rural municipality with market rights.