Murnau am Staffelsee, Market town in Garmisch-Partenkirchen district, Bavaria, Germany
Murnau am Staffelsee is a market town in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district of Upper Bavaria, lying between the shore of Staffelsee lake and wide stretches of moorland. The settlement sits at 688 meters elevation and includes residential neighborhoods, commercial zones, and several outlying hamlets with traditional farmsteads.
The first written record dates to 1150, when Augustinian monks founded a settlement here. Duke Louis V of Bavaria granted market rights in 1350, giving the place greater economic standing and self-governance.
The name comes from an old German word for swampy ground, a reference to the wetlands that surround the settlement. Visitors notice traditional farmhouses with wide wooden balconies and painted facades, reflecting centuries of cattle farming and regional commerce.
The municipal administration is housed in the town hall at the center and offers appointment hours for resident registration, building permits, and social services. Visitors find public parking near the center and can reach most facilities on foot.
The municipal coat of arms shows a green dragon with red tongue and claws on a silver background, a motif taken from 14th-century seals. Artists Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky lived here from 1909 onward, shaping how people view the Bavarian Alpine foothills through their work.
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