Admittedly, Munich is not necessarily an insider tip among German city breaks. Marienplatz, Frauenkirche, Rathaus, Arena – all very beautiful, all already seen. Nevertheless, a weekend in the Bavarian capital is worthwhile even for the well-traveled. Editor Konrad took a look away from the hotspots.
Maybe it’s because of my – from the point of view of some southern Germans – northern German ignorance. But for me, Munich was for a long time a homogeneous IT and automotive stronghold, where people also like to eat Weisswurst, drink beer and become football champions. Add to that a bit of royal kitsch and you’re done. So it’s terribly clichéd. But you travel to broaden your horizons, right?
A Planned Idyll
And in the case of Munich, it is enough to walk just ten minutes from the touristy Marienplatz to the not-so-much less bustling Gärtnerplatz. People are coming from work, from university, from the weekly shop. I’ll go out on a limb and say that this is the “real” Munich.
And it’s no coincidence that the Glockenbachviertel has chosen the Gärtnerplatz as its public living room. The circular square, with a flower-covered grassy area and plenty of seating options, surrounded by historistic facades, is the perfect place to start or end the day when the weather is nice. I am particularly taken with the neoclassical façade of the Gärtnerplatztheater – whose revolving stage is a real highlight. But I also quickly notice how far you can see through the lines of sight that radiate from the square in six different directions, including to the Isar and the Viktualienmarkt. Of course, this is part of the concept; after all, we are in Munich, aren’t we?
“The Isarvorstadt, as we see it today, was designed as a planned city,” explains Hartmut Speck. The friendly tour guide is one of many who invite you to so-called ‘Viertelliebe’ tours. These offer the opportunity to discover the city with new eyes, to immerse yourself in the exciting history of the individual neighborhoods and to get to know the cultural and gastronomic hotspots. This appeals to locals as well as to me as a stranger.
Illustrious company
Without the tour, I would certainly have walked past many a treasure in the district. For example, the “Deutsche Eiche” hotel. At first glance, the building, erected in 1871, looks like a classic, rustic inn, and the name does the rest. But as so often, appearances are deceptive. After the Second World War, the restaurant quickly became the haunt of the cast of the nearby Gärtnerplatztheater – and thus a meeting place for artists and culture vultures.
From the late 70s, the Deutsche Eiche also developed into a place of retreat and encounter for Munich’s gay scene. “Among others, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Freddie Mercury, who lived here during his time in Munich, were to be found here,” reports Speck. And holds up a photo showing the Queen singer in the Eiche as proof. And even today, after the bar was on the verge of closing down in the mid-1990s, the men’s sauna in the back building is still very popular.
Back to the Gärtnerplatz. It was planned and implemented in its current form around the turn of the century as the center of the Glockenbachviertel. “This was also a response to the city’s rapid population growth,” says Hartmut, putting this planning in context for me. “For a long time, the Isarvorstadt was rather rural and characterized by craftsmanship. With the redesign, that changed abruptly.” In fact, much more was changed here than “just” a few apartment blocks being built. The eponymous Glockenbach was moved underground and built over.
Back to Nature
I quickly learn that the major construction projects from this period continue to shape the city to this day. And some are even being reversed. This is what happened to the Isar. The river that has shaped Munich since its founding was heavily canalized in the 19th century, and not only in Munich. As was common in many places at the time. This made the river deeper and the water faster, which was primarily desired for economic reasons. But the lack of alluvial areas also increased the risk of the city being flooded.
Between 2000 and 2011, the Isar was therefore renatured over a distance of eight kilometers under the motto “New Life for the Isar”. In other words, it was restored to its original state as far as possible. Canal walls were removed, river banks uncovered, the river bed widened and dikes repaired. Today, the Isar meanders idyllically through the city again and the wide, green riverbank is a popular place for locals to enjoy the sun and the gentle lapping of the river, especially in summer. Even a few beavers have settled here again.
A Mountain Range in the Middle of Munich
You can also relax on the banks of the Praterinsel, which lies in the middle of the Isar, roughly level with the Gasteig. At the southernmost tip of the island stands the Alpine Museum, whose outdoor area, surrounded by trees, is a real oasis of calm in the middle of the city. At least, when the renovation work is completed. The museum, which is run by the German Alpine Club (DAV), has been extensively redesigned in recent years and has recently reopened. The renovation opened the building up to the Isar. Just as the building was originally built around the turn of the century. At that time as Café Isarlust, originally for a Munich art exhibition.
During the renovation, the region’s natural environment was taken into consideration, as museum educator Thomas Lindner explains: “The Alpine Club is not only a sports association, but also a nature conservation organization.” That is why a lot of regionally sourced wood was used in the redesign of the interior, while elsewhere, the “Nagelfluh” (a type of rock typical for this region) look evokes memories of the banks of the Isar.
A Haptic Experience
The small but elegant permanent exhibition on the ground floor is modeled on a mountain range and divided into five main topics: adventure, body, performance, nature (conservation) and community.
Among the exhibits are also very special individual pieces. For example, a functional jacket from Reinhold Messner or an ice axe used by Andreas Hinterstoißer in the attempt to climb the Eiger north face in 1936. These are, of course, behind museum glass. But there are also plenty of exhibits to touch. “The haptic experience is an asset,” explains Lindner. And yes, I too quickly grasp the difference between a hemp rope, as used for a long time in mountaineering, and a modern climbing rope. The first special exhibition, “Future Alps”, is open till August 2026.
Above the Rooftops
But now I really want to see the Alps, in the flesh. Since I’ve learned so much about them. I don’t have to go far to do that. I just have to cross the Isar and go to the Alter Gasteig. This colossal 80s building on the Isar embankment in Haidhausen was home to the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. Due to renovations, however, it is playing in the beautiful replacement location, the Isarphilharmonie. And in the meantime, the cultural project “Fat Cat” operates and manages the more than 200 rooms, studios and halls that house artists, associations, restaurants and countless other projects during the interim use. A project that serves as a beacon for the use of public space.
I make my way to the top, to the “Kulturdachgarten” (culture roof top). The name says it all. On the roof of the Gasteig, a genuine beer garden invites you to relax over Munich’s rooftops, enjoying delicious drinks and equally delicious snacks. Those who are familiar with building laws will know that the rooftops are not too high and thus, in good weather, offer a view of the Alps. A view that I now also enjoy. And I am happy to have ventured out of the city center.
