Perfect for nature photos: Lake Kochel

Artistic inspiration for father and son

The unique landscape around Kochelsee was a retreat for the world-famous artist Franz Marc, away from the hectic city life in Munich. Even as a young boy, he would travel with his family to Kochel am See for a summer retreat. Inspired by nature, his father made numerous sketches of the picturesque landscape. Little Franz emulated him and found his very own, unmistakable style. Walk in Marc's footsteps and view the original locations of his works from an artistic perspective.

A trip into the blue with the photo camera

Nature photographers in particular will be thrilled by the Kochelsee lake in southwestern Upper Bavaria: mountain panoramas, a wide view of the water surface reflecting the white-blue sky or ancient trees on the shore whose branches touch the lake - there are as many motifs as the (artist's) heart desires here!

The incomparable beauty of nature already attracted famous painters more than a hundred years ago. Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, even more renowned artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter or August Macke found their way to the popular pre-alpine region between Murnau and Kochel. The area owes the name "blue country" to Franz Marc. In addition to the breathtaking beauty of the landscape, he was inspired by the artists' movement "Der Blaue Reiter", founded by Münter and Kandinsky. The painting of the same name is one of Marc's most famous paintings.

Where nature meets art: On the trail of Franz Marc

Start the art tour directly at Kochel station: eight information boards with selected works by the artist will show you the way. Allow about two and a half hours for the four-kilometre walk. It leads to the original places where Franz Marc painted many of his famous pictures. One of the scenic highlights is the third stop at the picturesque vantage point Kohlleite. This is where the oil painting "Two Women on the Mountain" was created. Franz Marc immortalised two women in this work, between whom he could not decide for a long time: Maria Franck and Marie Schürr. The tour then takes you back to the town centre: take in the historic fishermen's quarter and walk to the artist's grave. Continue to the shores of Lake Kochelsee and return from there to the starting point at the station. With the matching, free smartphone app "Franz Marc Art Walk", you can give the landscape and lake panorama your full attention while the audio guide describes the individual stations.