Berg: In the Footsteps of King Ludwig II

Berg can be explored through a variety of themes: the remembrance of King Ludwig II at the Votive Chapel and lakeside cross, a hiking trail starting at the chapel, and planet-gazing at the Berg Observatory. This brings cultural history together with your own discoveries, offering several starting points for planning your trip.

King Ludwig II and the Votive Chapel

The Votive Chapel in Berg Palace Park was built in the Neo-Romanesque style. Prince Regent Luitpold laid the foundation stone in June 1896, on the tenth anniversary of King Ludwig II’s death. Below the chapel, a simple wooden cross in the shallow waters of Lake Starnberg marks the spot where Ludwig was found lifeless on 13 June 1886, after a walk with Prof. von Gudden.

A commemorative mass for King Ludwig II is held each year at the Votive Chapel around 13 June. If you would like to include this occasion in your travel plans, check the current arrangements before your visit.

Hiking Trail, Audio Walk and Cultural Walk

The King Ludwig Way begins at the Votive Chapel in Berg and leads through Starnberg and the Maisinger Gorge to Maising. On maps and signs, the trail is marked across the wider region with a blue “K” and crown on a white background. Starting at the chapel and passing through several towns gives the trail a distinctive historical setting.

Another way to learn about King Ludwig II is the free King Ludwig II audio walk. Its seven stops in total are spread across Starnberg, Kempfenhausen, Berg and Leoni. They have no fixed order, can be accessed independently of one another and are suitable for all ages. You can explore the stops in whichever order suits you.

The Berg Cultural Walk uses information boards to explain places of cultural and historical interest in the municipality of Berg. This brings other aspects of the municipality into focus alongside the history of King Ludwig II. No specific route is needed for orientation: the explanations on the boards are the main focus.

Observatory and Bismarck Tower

Depending on their current positions, planets in the solar system can be observed at the Berg Observatory, which is located in the municipality of Berg. These include Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s cloud bands and some of its moons, as well as the polar caps of Mars. Which of these features can be seen depends on the planets’ positions at the time.

The Bismarck Tower near Assenhausen in the municipality of Berg also has a distinctive history: it is the only Bismarck monument in Upper Bavaria whose planning and construction began during Bismarck’s lifetime. Together with the Votive Chapel, the tower offers another way to explore the region’s history.

Starnberg as a Broader Travel Destination

The Bismarck Tower near Assenhausen was inaugurated on 1 July 1899. Other lakeside destinations in the broader Starnberg travel region offer a wider regional perspective: the listed Feldafing beach resort is largely in its original 1927 condition; its seasonal opening arrangements may change.

Swimming and bathing in Lake Starnberg are prohibited in Bucentaur Park in Starnberg by order of the lake shipping authority, because of the immediately adjacent shipyard harbour. Check this rule again before your visit.

If the Votive Chapel, the history of King Ludwig II and the hiking trail that starts there are your main interests, focus your search on Berg. If you would also like to include places in the broader Starnberg travel region, this regional context may also influence your choice of search area.

Discover more destinations: Allmannshausen, Krailling, Inning am Ammersee, Gilching, Tutzing, Weßling, Starnberg, Pöcking.

Back to the broader travel overview: Starnberg.