Tegernsee: Monastic History, Museums and Boat Trips

Museums spanning art and local history

The Olaf Gulbransson Museum on Lake Tegernsee is a branch gallery of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Since 1966, it has presented a permanent exhibition on Olaf Gulbransson and Simplicissimus. The Tegernseer Tal Museum takes a different approach: its local history collections include visual and written documents, as well as relics from the monastery’s more than 1,000-year history and from the Wittelsbach family’s activities on Lake Tegernsee. They are complemented by ethnographic objects from the Tegernsee Valley, including significant furniture dating from the 16th to the 19th century. Together, the two museums offer different themes for a culturally focused stay.

Monastic history in the townscape

The former Benedictine monastery in Tegernsee was founded in 746 and was once one of the most important monasteries in Old Bavaria. The parish church of St. Quirinus also recalls the monastic past: until 1803, it was the abbey church of Upper Bavaria’s most important Benedictine abbey. The founding year and the end of this ecclesiastical role mark two different points in history. Together with the collections at the Tegernseer Tal Museum, they offer several ways to explore the history of the monastery and its surroundings.

Boat landing stages and tours

The Rathaus Steg 1 and 2 boat landing stages are located in the centre of Tegernsee. The Herzogliches Bräustüberl and the Tegernseer Tal Museum are just a few minutes’ walk away. Rathaus Steg 1 is also a departure point for passengers taking the southern tour on lines C and D, as well as the grand tour on lines A and B. The landing stages therefore provide a practical point of reference for planning your day in town and access to both of these tours. If you are planning a boat trip, check the timetable.

Walks with different themes

A Tegernseer Heimatführer town tour listed as bookable for 2026 focuses on the history of beer brewing in Tegernsee. It traces the story from its beginnings in the Benedictine monastery to the Tegernseer Bräustüberl, passing original historical sites along the way. If this tour might suit your stay, check the dates and availability. A literary walk of around two kilometres, following the trail of the Tegernsee town and monastery coat of arms, takes a different approach. The distinction is simple: the town tour links brewing history with original historical sites, while the literary walk focuses on the coats of arms.

A distinct museum experience in Miesbach

Miesbach also offers a cultural highlight that differs from the Tegernsee collections. With a core collection of more than 3,000 objects, the Miesbach Local History Museum presents the natural and cultural landscape of the Oberland region. The collection includes examples of Miesbach furniture painting, religious folk art from the Miesbach pilgrimage era, and tools and equipment from guilds, trades, homes and farms. It also features a farmhouse parlour, a shoemaker’s workshop and a milliner’s workshop. While the Tegernsee collections include, among other things, monastic history and furniture from the 16th to the 19th century, Miesbach also highlights traditional crafts and local furniture painting.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can base your decision on what interests you: historical collections, themed walks or a boat trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Fischbachau, Irschenberg, Holzkirchen, Hausham, Weyarn, Waakirchen, Warngau, Otterfing.

For the main travel overview: Miesbach.