BLUE BAVARIAN ALPS - ART AND AUGUSTINER
Castle Art Museum in the Blue Land
The
Oberbayern (Upper Bavaria) region near Oberammergau
on the southern Germany border with Austria is a very popular playground
in
winter
at the nearby Zugspitz and in summer for the mountain hikes. Even though
it’s
only a little over an hour from Munich by the autobahn, tell a German
you’re
going to there and you get a reverant nod as if you’re visiting
the Holy land of vacation spots. The hills and valleys which
butt
against
the
jutting peaks and the gingerbread Alpine architecture
tell you why. The little town of Murnau near the region's
largest city of Garmish-Partenkirchen is a popular day getaway spot
for a
lunch at the foot of the the Alps. It's noted for its mountain views
(when the weather's good) and has been called the Blue Land because
of the blue hue the Alps valleys take on when looking into the distance.
In Murnau can be found the Schloss
Museum Murnau. It is not a museum of castles, but an art
museum in a castle. Originally built at the local manor house
in the 13th Century on a promontory over the town, it now houses
a collection of 19th
Century art depicting the region, including
the works of the local 
"Blue
Rider" artists along with artifacts
of local history. It rises on a cliff above the little town square a postoffice.
Downstairs at the Schloss Museum is a modern re-decorated Café Bar-Restaurant
(and work of art all on its own) the Schloss Hof 5. A lovely little stop
when visiting the museum for a local brew or wine.
The
story Murnau and the Blue Rider period is nearly as "blue" as
its style for
the love story of two artists with a tragic end. Wasilly Kandinski
and
Gabriele Münter met in Munich and discovered
the landscapes of Murnau in 1908. Kandinski to move back
to Russia with the coming of WWI, but Munter remained behind in Murnau
the rest of her life. Münter continued to paint and along with
other artists attracted to the area, Franz Marc, August Macke, Alexei
Jawlensky and Marianne von Werefkin, became known as the "Blue
Rider" school of expressionism painting style (see Munich
Blue Rider Tour). Many of the works of the Blue Rider artists canb be
seen at the Lenbach
Museum
in Munich
and in Stuttgart (see Stuttgart
Museums), but more can be seen in Murnau
where they can be compared to the actual landscapes.
For
a more intimate look at the Münter and Kandinski romantic story and a unique look into
the lives of artists the Münter Cottage is just outside of town.
The walls of the 3 story mountain love nest are covered with frescoes
painted by Kandinsky, and the rooms filled with hand painted furniture,
swirled with animals and flowers. Priceless art works once part of
everyday living, are more a picture of the artists journey than a museum.. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Murnau Castle Museum
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SEE ALSO:
STRONG
BEER - MUNICH'S "FIFTH SEASON"
BAROQUE
IN BAVARIA - ETTAL ABBEY BASILICA
SECRET
WAR FACTORIES THEY DON"T WANT YOU TO SEE
MUNICH'S PINAKOTHEKS ART MUSEUM TREASURES
HOTEL LUDWIG VON BAYER - ETTAL ABBEY
