Dachau Between Lake, Art and History

The Dachau destination combines outdoor activities and experiences in nature with art, local history and places of remembrance. At Karlsfelder See and in the Amper meadows, walks and nature watching take centre stage; in Dachau, museums and the historic old town introduce other topics. Routes such as the “Lifeline Maisach” and the sculpture trail on Petersberg each offer a distinctive experience. You can plan your outings according to whether you prefer being outdoors, viewing art or exploring the region’s history.

Routes Between Lake, River and Art

The Karlsfelder See recreation area lies right next to the built-up area of northern Karlsfeld, covers 58.2 hectares and is located in the district of Dachau. It is used year-round for walking, jogging, cycling and recreation. The Maisach River offers a different focus: the approximately 2.5-kilometre-long “Lifeline Maisach” trail runs alongside the river and is accessible without barriers from Bergkirchen or Günding.

At 200 metres, the sculpture trail on Petersberg is much shorter. It leads through Petersberg Forest, with a total of ten artworks at eight stops. This offers a way to combine a walk with art, while the “Lifeline Maisach” follows the course of the river. In the Amper meadows, with patience and a little luck, you can spot the distinctive feeding marks of the beavers that have returned to live there. The climb up to Dachau Castle is another route with a special view: from there, the vista extends across the Munich Gravel Plain and the state capital of Munich to the Alps.

Local History, Painting and Dachau Castle

The Dachau District Museum explores settlement patterns and local history across three floors, as well as guilds and market rights, crafts and trade, everyday life, festive customs and popular religious culture. It presents the cultural history of the town and district of Dachau. The Dachau Picture Gallery has a different focus: its permanent collection features landscape and genre paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The gallery is connected with the Dachau artists’ colony, considered one of Germany’s most important artists’ colonies in art history, which had a major influence on the development of modern art in the 20th century.

Wittelsbach Dachau Castle was once a popular summer residence of the Wittelsbach family. Guided tours take place regularly at the castle; current dates are announced as they become available. If you plan to join a tour, check the announced dates before your visit. Dachau’s historic old town is protected as an ensemble and invites you to stroll and linger—another way to discover local history beyond the museum.

Monastic History and Places of Remembrance

A Romanesque basilica stands on Petersberg near Erdweg. Built in 1104, it has been preserved to this day. In Altomünster, the permanent exhibition at the Altomünster Museum presents the history of the Birgittine Order in Europe and its founder, Saint Bridget of Sweden. It also covers the history of Altomünster Monastery, which existed for 500 years before closing. Another historic place is Mariabrunn: after a miraculous healing attributed to water from a spring, it developed into an important pilgrimage site in the Diocese of Freising from 1662 onwards. Today, Mariabrunn belongs to the municipality of Röhrmoos.

The Path of Remembrance addresses the fate of children who were victims of National Socialism. Its historical context also includes Markt Indersdorf, which offered refuge after the Second World War to more than 1,000 young survivors of Nazi persecution. This focus differs markedly from the art and nature trails: it invites visitors to reflect on the consequences of persecution and the history of refuge.

Planning Your Trip

Practical information can also help you reach individual destinations: bus route 726 runs from Dachau railway station to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in the direction of “Saubachsiedlung”. Check the current timetable before travelling. A link route to the Munich Way of St James, which continues to Lindau, also runs through the Dachauer Land region.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Weißling, Schwabhausen, Markt Indersdorf, Hebertshausen, Dachau, Altomünster, Haimhausen, Bergkirchen, Odelzhausen, Vierkirchen, Karlsfeld, Erdweg, Hilgertshausen-Tandern, Röhrmoos, Petershausen, Sulzemoos.

To the overarching travel overview: Bavaria.