Oktoberfest 2016 Special: The fairy tale painted houses in Bavaria

Bavaria is one of the most beautiful regions in Germany, not only because of the Alps and the wonderful landscapes, but also because of its culture and traditions. Let's face it: when people think about Germany, they have in mind the mountains, the Bavarian costumes (Dirndl for women and Lederhosen for men, by the way), the brezeln, the sausages (wursten) and last, but not least, the BIER. That's why Oktoberfest (which actually begins in September and celebrates the... bier) is one of the biggest and most loved festivals in the world. If you love bier, of course.

But Bavaria has something more than that to offer. The traditional Bavarian houses are some of the most beautiful in the entire world. They combine the stone and the wood in such a wonderful way, the way the wood is crafted is stunning and the paintings on the walls of the houses, both outside and inside, are something really special.

The Bavarian mural painting is called Lüftlmalerei and it used since at least the 18th century, when it became famous thanks to the painter Franz Seraph Zwinck  (1748–1792) from the town of Oberammergau. The style is called Lüftlmalerei after the nickname of Zwincks' home, Zum Lüftl. Another theory says the name comes from the German word Luft (air), the frescoes being painted in the open air. Lüftlmalerei is actually a folk version of the Trompe-l’œil style, widely used in the Baroque, which imitates architectural elements.

Lüftlmalerei depicts stories about the owners of the house, or biblical events or just the normal days of the people living in the country side.

There are towns in Bavaria, like Oberagammau, Mittenwald or the more touristic Garmish-Partenkirchen, where almost all the houses are decorated with this wonderful Lüftlmalerei. You can see in the photos how beautiful they are, but you can't really feel the fairy-tale-like atmosphere. So, the solution is simple: you have to go there.