Dachau

A place with a dark history atones by offering truth and a breadth of options

Just 10 miles from Munich, this former quiet artists' community gained notoriety as the home of the infamous Dachau concentration camp. It became a tragic symbol of World War II and Nazi atrocities but today Dachau has re-emerged as a place to revisit the past and look to the future.

A popular residential area for people working in Munich, the city offers a number of historic sights and monuments to entice visitors. Dachau Palace is a medieval castle that was favored by the Bavarian dukes in the 16th century. One wing of the castle remains intact along with extensive landscaped gardens and superb views of the Alps beyond. The Old Town features some outstanding examples of Western European architecture including the 17th century late Renaissance style Church of St. Jakob and the 15th century Church of St. Nicolas, Mitterndorf.

The city’s artistic history prevails at museums like the Gemäldegalerie Dachau and continues in the breadth of contemporary art and number of small art galleries and artists’ studios around the town. Cultural events like the Dachau Palace concert series, the Dachau Music Summer and the traditional Dachau Folk Festival bring music and international flavor to the Bavarian heartland each year.

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