Bernried on Lake Starnberg

Bernrieder Park and protected landscape

Bernrieder Park lies south of Bernried on Lake Starnberg, covers about 80 hectares and is protected both as a landscape and as a historic monument. Its size and dual protected status give the park a distinctive place in the local landscape: both the natural surroundings and a protected historic site are in the foreground. If you would like to discover Bernried not only through individual buildings but also through its landscape, the park is an important point of reference.

Distinguishing between the hiking route and the art loop

Several routes pass through Bernried or continue beyond the town. The eastern loop, “Reflecting Waters,” is part of the Heilige Landschaft Pfaffenwinkel Pilgrimage Hiking Trail. It goes via Weilheim to Bernried, then via Seeshaupt, Penzberg, Benediktbeuern and the Osterseen lakes back to Peißenberg. This makes Bernried part of a clearly named route that connects several towns and the Osterseen lakes.

The Upper Bavaria Water Cycle Routes art loop follows a different course: this connecting route runs from Gauting via Starnberg, along Lake Starnberg through Bernried, and via Seeshaupt through the Osterseen lake district on to Murnau. The names alone point to two different ways of planning a route: one is a pilgrimage hiking trail with an eastern loop, the other an art loop within the Water Cycle Routes. Comparing these routes can help you decide whether you are more interested in the pilgrimage route or the art loop. The places named also make clear that both descriptions extend beyond Bernried.

Churches, art and local history

St. Martin’s Parish Church was renovated from 1652 to 1663. Its notable features include a choir screen slab from the Carolingian period and a Gothic winged altarpiece from a Munich school dating to around 1500. These features point to different periods: the choir screen slab is associated with the Carolingian period, while the altar dates to around 1500. This allows you to consider the church’s features individually rather than reducing its history to a single date.

Built in 1362, the Hofmark Church adds another perspective on Bernried’s churches. Its crypt chapel contains a Gothic Vesperbild, or Pietà, and an example of 14th-century Bavarian woodcarving. Another local stop is the Klosterhof, an ensemble with magnificent old plane trees. The church, chapel and Klosterhof each offer a different focus: sacred art and architectural history alongside the character of the ensemble and its old trees.

Buchheim Museum north of Bernried

Near the destination lies the Buchheim Museum, north of Bernried in Höhenrieder Park on the shore of Lake Starnberg. Its collection includes Expressionist paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints, as well as arts and crafts from around the world, Bavarian folk art, and cultural artefacts from Africa and other non-European countries. It also includes works by Lothar-Günther Buchheim. The collection thus ranges from painting and graphic art to arts and crafts, folk art and cultural artefacts.

In the “Laboratory of Imagination,” children and adults can try out artistic techniques for themselves. If you are considering including this activity in your plans, check its current availability directly with the museum. This keeps the exhibition visit separate from the question of whether a hands-on activity is available. Together with the churches, Klosterhof, park and routes described above, it offers a varied perspective on Bernried and its immediate surroundings.

Discover more destinations: Gilching, Feldafing, Starnberg, Tutzing, Pöcking, Berg, Allmannshausen.

Back to the main travel overview: Starnberg Region.