The in starnberger Lake located Rose Island is a 2.56 hectare, idyllic and car-free island with gardens and parks in which a Casino called Schlößchen lies. This only island in the lake, which King Maximilian II of Bavaria acquired around 1850, is located about 170 meters from its west bank at the level of the so-called Bell bridgewhich is about halfway between places Possenhofen and Feldafing is located.
The island belongs to the municipality of Feldafing as a district called “Wörth (Castle)”; The Landowner is the Free State Bavaria. The number of inhabitants is given as "1" (for the gardener who lives on the island all year round). Its shape changes and its size is slowly but steadily increasing due to landfills and siltation: at the beginning of the 19th century it was around 1.3 hectares, by 1850 it was around 1.7 hectares.
background
The island is designed and set for visiting day trippers and wedding parties only. There is no overnight accommodation or general hospitality.
Nevertheless, the number of visitors tripled between 1998 and 2005. In 2005 a total of 13,000 visitors were counted.
In addition to wedding parties, the island is particularly interesting for seniors, early retirees, families with children and generally people who want to relax away from everyday life.
getting there
Of Munich the church is over Feldafing, from which you can take a ferry from Bell bridge to the rose island can be reached easily.
From Munich you take the S-Bahn to Starnberg. From there you take the S6 to Feldafing (not to Possenhofen, as it is too far away!). From the "Feldafing" station onwards, it is very often problematic because there is no adequate signage. However, you can ask an annoyed kiosk owner or local resident on the street. The walk from the S-Bahn station to the pier takes about 20 minutes.
From the Glockensteg you can wait up to 15 minutes for the ferry; sometimes even longer if there is a big rush and not all guests fit on the boat. It is therefore advisable to be there at 11 or 10 a.m. on the first trips. If you can, you should be at the jetty on the island by 4 p.m. on the return trip to avoid similar waiting times. However, the ferry only leaves for 2 or more passengers and can only transport a maximum of 10 people at a time. You can eat your own food on the ferry. You can also get information about the island from information boards and get in the mood for your visit. Getting off the ferry at the island's jetty can be a little tricky when the water level is very low. At the jetty there are toilets and an overview map, in German and English, of the rose island.
Depending on the weather, the ferry operates during the summer months at the following times:
- daily in May from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- June 1st to September 15th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- 16.09 to 15.10 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- During weddings, the boat is sometimes only in operation from 12 noon, see current information
here.
The prices for the ferry are very different (round trip):
- Adults: € 4.00
- Young people up to 16 years: 1.00 €
- Groups of 20 people or more (per person): € 3.00
(As of 06-2011; for the latest see also Side of the island ferry)
If you are on the island and missed the ferry, look out for people who also missed the ferry. However, this is very unlikely as the ferryman makes another round of the island before the last departure. If you really don't have a cell phone, you can ask the gardener to ferry it over. He will certainly do this because he likes to have the island to himself. Experienced swimmers can swim over it. But you have to watch out for boats. If you can't find the gardener or someone else to help and you can't swim, you'll have to spend the night on a park bench.
Nevertheless, it is very unlikely that you will have to stay on the island as the ferryman has a good memory and takes his tour of the island very carefully!
mobility
The short distances on the small island can easily be covered on foot, there is no motor vehicle traffic. The flat and well-maintained paths are also easy to drive on with wheelchairs and prams.
Cycling on the island is as good as impossible, but also completely unnecessary, as everything can be reached from the landing stage in a very short time. In addition, bicycles would disturb the idyll and you would hardly get ahead because of the many pedestrians on the small paths.
Tourist Attractions
The main attraction is Franz's 1851/52 Jacob Kreuter, a student of Friedrich Gardener, built and now restored Casino. It is a plastered building in Italianizing-romantic forms, in which weddings are held regularly from early summer to autumn. The casino is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 6 pm.
Another attraction is the gardener's house, where the only permanent resident of the island lives, the gardener. The two-story gardener's house houses a museum in which very expensive group tours are offered upon registration (up to € 110 for an hour). It is much cheaper to visit without a guide.
The oval rosarium (rose garden) at the casino with hundreds of tall scented roses and a five-meter-high blue and white glass column in its center, reconstructed in 2001, a gift from the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm IV., gave the island its current name. The garden, which is tended again today and is mostly relaxing and quiet, can be visited free of charge.
The prehistoric pile dwellings on the Roseninsel have been part of the UNESCO world cultural heritage.
activities
Many day tourists like to picnic on the idyllic shores or inside the island.
accommodation
A covered overnight stay is currently not possible, as there are no other buildings other than a staff apartment in the gardener's house and the casino that are connected to the water and electricity network. Camping and lighting fires is prohibited.
Local supply and infrastructure
Apart from the sanitary facilities on the jetty, which are only open during ferry times, there is no tourist infrastructure on the island.
Groceries must be brought from the mainland. The gardener has to go to the mainland to get the mail, as the ferry does not handle any mail.
dogs
Dogs are forbidden on the island for animal welfare reasons.
children
Smaller children can get bored quickly on the island if they are in boring company, as there are no playgrounds or other offers especially for children. From an intimate Rose Island connoisseur: Rose Island is a paradise for imaginative and playful children. It's one of the most boring places in the world!
literature
- Official guide of the Bavarian Administration of State Palaces, Gardens and Lakes (2012), 5 EUR.
Web links
- Support group Roseninsel e.V. with information about the story
- Information about the ferry
