Mesnerbichl

Mesnerbichl is a protected nature reserve near Andechs consisting of dry grassland and glacial features set between two lakes. The small reserve sits on a hillside in the rolling landscape between Ammersee and Starnberger See.

The site received official protection in 1941 from Germany's national nature authority, making it one of Bavaria's earliest conservation areas. This early designation helped preserve the rare plant communities that still exist there today.

The name comes from the local church sacristan who once received this land as payment for his duties. Visitors today see this hillside as part of the wider spiritual landscape centered around the nearby monastery.

The reserve is accessible via marked hiking paths starting from parking near Kloster Andechs with some elevation changes along the way. A comfortable pair of walking shoes is recommended due to the sloping terrain and uneven ground.

The reserve holds the only population of a certain spring flower found nowhere else in Germany outside the Alps. Additionally, tens of thousands of specimens of a rare water plant grow here, creating an unusual botanical combination.