Starnberg grew up around a castle on the moraine hill at the northern tip of the lake. For centuries it was a modest place below a ducal summer residence; the steamers and the railway of the 19th century turned it into Munich’s lakeside resort and, in 1912, into a town.
Origins
- 948/957Today’s district of Achheim is recorded as “Ouiheim”. The fishing village of Achheim lay south of the later castle.
- 1208A knight named Wernher, a ministerial of the Counts of Andechs-Meranien, is recorded; the place name is said to go back to him.
- 1226The name “Starnberch” appears for the first time, for a settlement north of Ouiheim.
- 1244The castle is first documented as “Starnberch Castrum”, a possession of the Counts of Andechs-Meranien. After the Andechs line lost power in the 1240s, it passed to the Wittelsbach dukes.
Starnberg Castle
- 15th centuryThe castle changes from a fortress into a summer residence of the Munich court.
- 1541Duke Wilhelm IV has the medieval castle pulled down and a Renaissance residence built; under Duke Albrecht V it becomes a hunting and pleasure palace. From 1490 a fleet of court boats was kept at the castle.
- 1662–1663Elector Ferdinand Maria has the state ship Bucentaur, built after a Venetian model, launched for Henriette Adelaide; the court’s festivals on the lake continue until the mid-18th century.
- Thirty Years’ WarThe castle is devastated and loses its role as a summer residence; the court later prefers the castles of Berg and Possenhofen.
- Early 19th centuryThe castle houses a district court, a revenue office and a forestry office.
Today the castle is used by the Starnberg tax office; in 2001 its historic Hall of Columns was converted into a service centre. The building can only be seen from outside.
St. Joseph's Church
The church of St. Josef stands on the ridge on the west side of the town, next to the castle. The foundation stone was laid on 13 May 1764 and the church was consecrated on 6 August 1770. The plans came from Leonhard Matthäus Gießl; it replaced the castle’s former guest and dance house, the “Sommerhaus”.
Its gilded high altar of lime wood, with white-painted figures, is by Ignaz Günther. The frescoes were painted in 1765–1766 by Christian Wink — his first complete cycle. The church is a listed monument.
Starnberg Castle Garden
Between the castle and St. Josef lies the small castle garden on the old castle walls. Freely accessible, it was given back a Baroque layout in 1979 and offers a view over the town and the lake.
Steamers, railway and the summer retreat
In the 19th century the lake became the favourite summer retreat of Munich society. Steamers, then the railway, brought visitors to Starnberg; villas and bathing places followed.
- 1827–1848Johann Ulrich Himbsel settles in Leoni on the east shore; in 1848 he obtains permission for a steamer and a railway line.
- 1851The salon steamer “Maximilian” is launched in Starnberg.
- 1854The Munich–Starnberg railway opens. Starnberg then counts 65 properties.
- 1865The line is extended to Tutzing and Weilheim.
- 1900384 properties and 4,531 inhabitants; sewers (1890) and a first power station (1897) have been built.
- 1905The “Undosa”, Germany’s first wave pool, opens on the lakeshore; in 1911 the town registers 1,268 spa guests.
- 1912Starnberg is granted town rights.
Recent times
- 1962The Würmsee is officially renamed Starnberger See.
- 1972Starnberg is connected to the Munich S-Bahn; Hanfeld joins the town.
- 1977Twinning with Dinard in Brittany.
- 1978With the municipal reform six former municipalities join the town, which now covers 61.92 km².
Today Starnberg is the seat of the district of the same name in Upper Bavaria, with 24,471 inhabitants (31 December 2024), about 25 km south-west of Munich.
Sources: Wikipedia (Starnberg, de) · Wikipedia (en) · Wikipedia (Schloss Starnberg) · Wikipedia (St. Josef) · StarnbergAmmersee.de. Checked 8 October 2026.