A walking tour through the “Historic Ludwigstraße”

A walking tour
through the
“Historic
Ludwigstraße”
at Partenkirchen
Traditional “Lüftelmalerei” murals
Murals or façade paintings in the Old Bavarian countryside are called “Lüftelmalerei”. The great
master of this art form, Franz Seraph Zwinck, was given the epithet “Lüftelmaler” (“airy painter”
by the people, because he spent most of his working time at “airy heights” – on scaffolds and in
plain air, painting the façades of houses. Later other masters of “al fresco” painting were also given
this epithet and these murals are now simply known as “Lüftlmalerei”.
This type of façade painting is
a completely independent,
German art form. During
renaissance, new influences
came across the Brenner Pass
directly from Italy. The main
driving force behind this type
of painting was probably the
people’s enjoyment of the
bright colors. It is an
expression of the Old Bavarian
character. The topics of the
paintings are mostly of
biblical nature, depicting the
guardian saints of the people.
Often the paintings on the
façades of the houses also
provide information about the
trade of their owners.
Ludwigstraße No. 4 – Today’s Wittmann shoe shop:
Ludwigstraße has been a lively
trade and Business Street for
700 years and this house at the
south end of Ludwigstraße has
remained almost untouched by
time. During the times of
“Rotthandel” – a type of early
haulage trade using ox- and
horse drawn carts – the stables
were located at the ground
floor with the living quarters
above. The balconies are still in
their original state. The large
balcony on the 2nd floor was
initially split in two, as most of
the times; two families would
share a house, occupying half
the house each. It was not
always easy to live so closely
together and it often leads to
arguments, which gave rise to
the saying: “Ein halbes Haus,
eine halbe Hölle” (“Half a
house, half a hell”).
The “Fugger-Gassl” alley between the houses
of Ludwigstrasse No. 4 and No. 8:
Stone stairs between these two houses lead up to
the so-called “Fugger-Gassl”, an alley named after
the famous Augsburg merchant family. Only a few
meters above the center of Partenkirchen it
provides fantastic views of the valley, the
mountains and Partenkirchen in particular. Benches
invite you to have a rest and enjoy the sun and the
beautiful landscape.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 8 – “Alte Haus” (“Old House”):
The “Alte Haus” bears witness of the original construction method. This house was spared by the big
fires of 1811 and 1865. Both the external and internal walls on the top floor are still made totally of
wood. The roof is covered with wooden shingles. The house received its traditional, picturesque
style and the paintings on the plastered walls in 1921, when the famous “Lüftlmalerei” painter,
Heinrich Bickel, worked on it.
Ludwigstraße No. 15 –
“Lödermann-Haus”:
The only thing that still
remains of the agricultural
use of the house today is
the old hayloft, with its
untendered walls, the raw
beams and boards. Here,
one can admire over a
dozen different nativity
cribs.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 17:
The most beautiful
paintings on this house
are by the famous
Mittenwald mural painter
Sebastian Pfeffer. The
two houses at the back
were only built in the
second half of the 20th
century – after the once
swampy area had been
drained. In the years
before that, rainwater
running down over the old
“G’steig” would collect
here. During strong rain,
the road would become
soft quickly and was
difficult to pass for heavy
carts.
Ludwigstraße No. 24 – “Gasthof Fraundorfer”:
This inn is surely one of the most well-known inns in the entire
Bavarian Oberland area. The interior, which is almost entirely made
of wood, offers you an experience of truly authentic Bavarian
traditions and customs. The rich mural dating back to 1949 was
painted by Heinrich Bickel, a renowned Partenkirchen mural painter.
It depicts a typical Bavarian wedding including bride and groom, the
traditional master of ceremonies “Hochzeitslader” and the wedding
party.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 27 – “Haus Baudrexl”:
The architectural style of this house originally
resembled that of the neighboring houses. As the
new owner grew wealthier it was changed,
showing the then predominant forms of
historicism and with beautiful wooden paneled
ceilings.
Go and have a beautiful view at the alleyways,
you will not even see the amazing mountains,
some old Bavarians have their own opinion about
their fellow men:
“With every day that I get older, the number of
people that can kiss my ass increases.”
Ludwigstraße No. 36 – “Haus Simon”:
At “Haus Simon” you will
immediately notice an
unusual mural: God sat on
a throne on top of the
animal symbols for fire,
water, air and earth.
Archangel Gabriel is
keeping guard at the gates
to paradise, armed with a
fire sword and a lily. And
Michael, the archangel of
death, is looking down
onto the end of all earthly
development. This
“dramatic” motif was
painted during the second
half of the 20th century.
The patron was fascinated by Greek mythology. He had his
ideas implemented by the Mittenwald mural painter Sebastian
Pfeffer.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 38:
This building used to
house the inn “Gasthof
Pischl”, a popular stop
for carters and
mountain farmers from
the surrounding area.
Today its main
attractions are the two
paintings by Heinrich
Bickel. The Holy Family
in the foreground and
to the side of it, St.
Korbinian with his bear
as the protector of
merchants, carters and
mountain farmers.
Ludwigstraße No. 40:
This house has a long and
rich history. It was built
as “Ballenhaus” in 1516
for the temporary storage
of merchant goods. About
25 years later, a part of
the house was separated
from the rest, to serve as
a grain or “Schrannen”
building. All the grain,
coming in from
elsewhere, was stored
and sold on from here.
For a short time, the
building also housed a socalled “Brotbank”
(“bread bank”): All the
bakers had to take their
bread here. A
“Brothüter” (“guardian of
the bread”) then sold it
on. Later, a primary
school moved in and then
the local government of
the market town of
Partenkirchen.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 37:
This was once the home
of the renowned inn
“Gasthof zum Melber”.
It was well-known far
and wide for its good
cuisine. The beautiful
garden attached to the
house is still home to
some big old chestnut
trees.
Every year, it was host to the lavish “Melberfest” party, which included a stage for Schuhplattler,
dancers and singers.
Ludwigstraße No. 39:
During the peak times of “Rottwesen”, a traditional type of haulage business, this place was the
location of a huge “Ballenhaus” storage building, with huge vaults for bales of goods and stables for
up to 100 horses. Then the “Ballenhaus” was transformed into a cozy wine bar, called “Zum Stern”
(“The star”). Its reputation was so good that it was soon renamed: “Zum goldenen Stern” (“The
golden star”). It seemed to attract mainly holiday makers from Münchner Hof, but also lots of
painters. In 1920 the local government bought the building and set up the Partenkirchen town hall.
This house may even have witnessed how Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa famously fell to his knees in
front of Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony. Supposed to be in the year 1176 in the Ludwigstraße. But
we have to admit that there is insufficient historical evidence to prove this.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 41:
The murals are a puzzle to many a guest: A
woman with grain, a colored lady with a jug
of rum, a sugar loaf, a beehive and a
chicken with an egg. What a mysterious
combination, isn’t it? The solution to the
puzzle: This building used to house a bakery
and coffee-shop and the items depicted are
all ingredients of fine baking.
Ludwigstrasse No. 45 – “Gasthof zum Rassen”:
“Gastro zoom Risen” is one of the oldest and most historic inns in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The inn owes its name to Count Russo of
Andes’s. He is also depicted on the large mural on the front of the
building. In earlier times, the “Risen” used to have its own large farm
and its own brewery. This also explains the beautiful, tall vaulted
cellars. Today the building with its beautiful hall for up to 250 people
also hosts one of the oldest Bavarian rural folk theatres:
The history of
the
“Partenkirchner
Bauerntheater”
goes back to the
year 1892.
During these
years this
excellent
ensemble –
consisting
entirely of
amateurs –
showed more
than 90 different
plays in no less
than 7,500
shows. Respect!
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 46 – the parish church:
On December 5th, 1864, almost all buildings in Ludwigstrasse burned down, including the old parish
church. Only a few years later, the people of Partenkirchen celebrated the consecration of their
new, neo-Gothic style parish church, an enormous accomplishment. The original, destroyed church
was a baroque church, of which sadly no pictures remain. Luckily, the showpiece of the church was
saved: a painting by Litterini dating back to 1731, which depicts the Ascension of Mary. It is said to
be the only picture of the Venice painter north of the Alps. It is now located at the left side of the
church. The painting was originally donated by a Würzburg merchant. He worked for a company in
Venice and was married to a lady from Partenkirchen. As this lady was very beautiful, she is said to
have been the model sitting as Maria.
Discover your true nature.
The fountain at Kirchplatz square:
The Kirchplatz square was designed in its current
form in 1934 based on plans by Josef Wackerle, a
professor of the Munich art academy, who was born
in Partenkirchen. He chose the following order: On
the right side of the Kirchplatz square is the church,
to the left the long pharmacy building, at the back
the rectory and at the front the fountain. The
statues on the fountain depict two mountain
infantry men in Partenkirchen infantry uniform.
Unfortunately the historic “Brothaus” (“Bread
house”) was lost when the Kirchplatz square was
redesigned.
This is where Partenkirchen bakers used to sell their
bread since the 17th century via a so-called
“Brothüter” (“guardian of the bread”).
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 47 – the Werdenfels Museum:
This building has been home to the Werdenfels
Museum since 1973. The building dates back to the
15th century and is the only survivor of the 1865
“great market fire” in the central market area. A
legend says that on the day of the fire a gypsy woman
had asked residents of Ludwigstrasse, to let her warm
up some milk for a small child. The residents of house
no. 47 are said to have been the only ones who helped
the woman. Maybe it was this good deed that
protected the house from the flames.
A mural on the gable of the house shows the building
at that time. The interior of the house has also
maintained its original state. It provides the ideal
surroundings for the Werdenfels Museum. It gives a
great impression of the rich folk art, cultural history
and customs of the region. Alongside historical
artifacts from the early period, the exhibition includes
historical clothing, household effects and ornaments,
paintings, musical instruments and trade and farming
tools.
Ludwigstraße No. 49 – the former Posthotel Partenkirchen:
Both the architecture and name
of the Posthotel are a piece of
Partenkirchen history. In 1763
the Prince of Thorn and Taxis
installed a post station here.
Later it became the Royal
Bavarian Post Office (“KöniglichBayerische Posthalterei”)
endowed with all rights and
duties. All letters, packages and
money were handled here.
To the rear of the
building were
apartments for
postmen and
stagecoach drivers as
well as a large stable
for the horses.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 54 – “Haus Nagel”:
On the opposite side of the road, the gilt roof
of one of the houses has been sparkling in the
sun since the 1920s. Just like the famous
"Golden roof” of Innsbruck, one might think.
Ludwigstraße No. 56 –
“Haus Langer-Beck”:
The old baker’s house dates back to 1466.
Four stucco-framed pictures on the front
of the house depict the process of baking
from grain to bread. Over the last 25
years, however, other shops have taken
over the place that used to be occupied
by the bakery.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 53 – “Haus Schmied-Roman”:
Opposite “HausLangerbeck”, on the side
wall of the house next to
the Posthotel, is a picture
of a smithy, which used to
be in this building, doing
good business thanks to the
through traffic which has
been going straight through
Ludwigstrasse for centuries.
This made the blacksmith a
sought after man!
Ludwigstrasse No. 58 – “Gasthof Werdenfelser Hof”:
The “Werdenfelser Hof” is a traditional
Bavarian inn. Today's building was erected
after the big fire of 1865.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 60 – “Haus Bierprigl”:
This building used
to be home to the
Bierprigl printers.
Alongside numerous
books they
published a
newspaper, the
"Werdenfelser
Anzeiger” as early
as 1892. In 1938
this publishing
house merged with
the "Loisach-Bote”
in Garmisch, which
had a higher
circulation. It was
the “GarmischPartenkirchner
Tagblatt”. Since
then only the name
remains of the
business.
Ludwigstraße No. 55 – Café Lievert:
The pictures on the façade of this house are reminiscent of three special events: When Emperor
Barbarossa fell to his knees in front of Henry the Lion Duke of Saxony in 1176, the erection of the
summit cross on Mount Zugspitze in 1851 and the Olympic Winter Games of 1936.
Discover your true nature.
Ludwigstraße No. 59 –
“Silberer-Haus”:
The former owner of the jewelry shop Anton
Simon was called “Silberer Toni” (“Silver
Toni”). He was an expert in traditions and a
keen collector. He recognized at an early
stage the historical value of traditional
clothing, including matching jewelry. He
produced traditional jewelry himself in
many variations. A large part of his artful
“treasure” was donated to the museum of
local heritage, including the precious
“Silbererkrippe” nativity crib.
Ludwigstraße No. 62 –
Today’s branch of the
Kreissparkasse bank:
This is the place where the hunter
Fendt once waited for Emperor Ludwig
the Bavarian, returning from Italy. At
least that is what the inscription
claims. Right at this spot there also
used to be a fountain, which was a
popular night-time meeting point for
young men.
Discover your true nature.
Untermarkt (“Lower Market”):
At the crossing of Sonnenberg- and
Schnitzschulstrasse the so-called
“Untermarkt” starts. In this part of
Partenkirchen the first houses were
build in the 16th and 17th century. In
1811 all houses were destroyed by a
great fire. Immediately they were built
up again and you can still today see
some of these old farm houses with the
huge barn doors on the eastern side of
the street.
As the farmers could not enter their
properties from the rear, all the
agricultural traffic went through
Ludwigstrasse. House no. 74 has been
home to the old rope-making trade for
several generations and still is today.
Discover your true nature.
“Sebastianskircherl” (“Chapel of St. Sebastian”):
The Chapel of St. Sebastian is located on the site of
the former plague cemetery, which was set up
during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). When the
plague broke out in Partenkirchen, it was decided
that the deceased should not be buried in the
cemetery of the parish church to avoid the risk of
infection.
Instead, they were buried on these premises, which used to be outside the town. According to
legend, a goat-herd boy was driving his goats home at 4 pm on Sunday, 19th October 1634, a lot
earlier than usual, because he was not feeling well. At the so-called “Geissbrueckerl” (”goat
bridge”) on Faukenstrasse he fell over and died. The citizens of Partenkirchen then vowed to ring
the parish church bells every Sunday at 4 pm, if they did not have to mourn another victim to the
plague. This is the reason why, even today, the parish church bells are rung every Sunday at 4 pm
sharp.
In 1637 the Chapel of St.
Sebastian, then a chapel to
the victims of the plague
was consecrated. When the
cemetery at the parish
church was completely
overcrowded in 1775, it
was decided to bury the
dead in the former plague
cemetery. The last funeral
took place there in 1914. In
1924 the cemetery was left
open and a war memorial
was erected in its place.
Josef Wackerle designed
the square as it looks today
and painted the façade of
the chapel.
Discover your true nature.