Discover Gräfelfing: the Würm, history and hotels

Gräfelfing can be explored through several specific themes: the Würm, the town’s historical development, St. Stephan and the recreational areas at the Anger. Depending on your interests, you can see the town as a destination for local history, outdoor activities, or both.

Garden city and the Würm

Historically, Gräfelfing and Lochham were small villages along the Würm. The townscape is shaped by villas and spacious, open development along the lower reaches of the Würm, giving it its garden-city character. The river is also represented in the municipal coat of arms: the blue wavy band stands for the Würm.

The former Schloss Seeholzen estate is part of the town’s history. It stood at the entrance to Pasinger Straße, on the site of today’s St. Gisela nursing home. This historic location adds another perspective on Gräfelfing’s development, alongside its churches and river landscape.

St. Stephan and the town’s history

The Old St. Stephan’s Church stands at Würmstraße 1, by the Würm bridge. It was first mentioned in a document in 802. The largely Gothic reconstruction in 1473 was built over an earlier Romanesque structure; in 1728, the church was extended westward and altered in the Baroque style.

The Late Gothic ribbed vault is one of the church’s distinctive architectural features. The interior also contains red marble tomb slabs from the 15th and 16th centuries. St. Stephan is considered one of the original parishes in the Würm Valley and was under Rottenbuch Abbey from 1206 to 1790. These dates help tell the story of the town’s long architectural and ecclesiastical history.

The Würm and recreation at the Anger

The Anger recreation area brings together a Kneipp pool, a fitness trail, a boules court, a Bavarian curling rink, a playground and a water play area. It offers a range of options for outdoor activities and relaxation in one place.

The water play area is beside a renaturalised branch of the Würm and has a shallow bank for educational water play. Another feature by the river is the waterwheel, which has stood at its current location by the Mesnersteg since 1998. Together, the Anger and the Mesnersteg offer two different ways to spend time by the Würm.

Cycling routes and route planning

The Würm floodplains are considered suitable for cycling and jogging. The regional Würm cycle route is a separate option: it runs from Pasing through Gräfelfing and Gauting to Starnberg. One reference concerns activities in the Würm floodplains; the other describes a route through several towns. Check current route conditions before setting out.

Gräfelfing has two S-Bahn stations and a well-developed public transport network. The railway is also part of the town’s history: its connection changed Gräfelfing and the Würm Valley as destinations for day trips. For specific journeys, please check the relevant timetables so that historical developments remain distinct from practical travel planning.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Unterhaching, Taufkirchen, Feldkirchen, Garching Bei München, Straßlach-Dingharting, Schäftlarn, Baierbrunn, Sauerlach

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