Leaving the south-western edge of the English Garden, visitors enter Maxvorstadt, the district that adjoins Schwabing to the south. Majestic neoclassical buildings rise between Odeonsplatz, Königsplatz and Ludwigstraße. As Munich’s intellectual and artistic centre, Maxvorstadt is the perfect place to immerse yourself in art and culture. Whether at the Pinakotheken, the Glyptothek, the Lenbachhaus or the State Collection of Antiquities, countless artistic treasures can be discovered within just a few hundred metres.
Maxvorstadt is also home to tax offices, courts, the headquarters of banks and insurance companies, major corporations, the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation and two large breweries. The beer gardens of Löwenbräu and Max-Emanuel-Brauerei offer an authentic Bavarian atmosphere and a perfect place to enjoy a refreshing drink.
Students satisfy their thirst for knowledge at the Technical University of Munich, the Academy of Fine Arts and Ludwig Maximilian University. Knowledge is particularly concentrated along Ludwigstraße, where the Bavarian State Library is located. With more than 38 million media items, it is one of Europe’s most important research libraries and Germany’s largest universal library.
Numerous cafés, bars and the presence of thousands of students give the district its lively and youthful character. One of the highlights of the year takes place during the summer months, when people from across Munich gather at Königsplatz for open-air cinema screenings, concerts and cultural events set against one of the city’s most impressive backdrops.
Sightseeing highlights
Pinakotheken
›› Alte Pinakothek, Barer Str. 27, Tel. +49 89 23805-216
›› Neue Pinakothek, Barer Str. 29
Currently closed for extensive renovation. Selected works are being exhibited at the Alte Pinakothek.
›› Pinakothek der Moderne, Barer Str. 40, Tel. +49 89 23805-360
www.pinakothek.de
Kunstareal Munich
With more than 20 museums, collections, galleries and cultural institutions, Kunstareal is one of Europe’s most important museum districts and forms the cultural heart of Maxvorstadt.
Königsplatz
Commissioned by King Ludwig I as a grand neoclassical square dedicated to art and culture, Königsplatz is now home to the Glyptothek and the State Collection of Antiquities. It also hosts regular open-air cinema screenings, concerts, festivals and cultural events.
›› Glyptothek & State Collection of Antiquities, Königsplatz
Glyptothek: Tel. +49 89 286100, State Collection of Antiquities: Tel. +49 89 59988830
www.antike-am-koenigsplatz.mwn.de
Circus Krone
Since 1919, Circus Krone has had its winter headquarters here. The venue hosts circus performances, concerts, comedy shows, cabaret and a variety of other events.
›› Zirkus-Krone-Str. 1-6
www.circus-krone.de
Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU)
The main building on Ludwigstraße was designed by Friedrich von Gärtner for King Ludwig I in 1826. In 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl distributed anti-Nazi leaflets in the monumental atrium and were executed four days later. A memorial on the ground floor commemorates the White Rose resistance movement.
›› Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
www.uni-muenchen.de
Bavarian State Library
One of Europe’s leading research libraries and Germany’s largest universal library, with more than 38 million media items.
›› Ludwigstr. 16
www.bsb-muenchen.de
Munich University Library
One of Germany’s largest academic library systems, with multiple locations and extensive collections supporting research and higher education.
›› Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
www.ub.uni-muenchen.de
Lenbachhaus and Kunstbau
The Lenbachhaus houses the estate of portrait painter Franz von Lenbach and is internationally renowned for its outstanding collection of works by the “Blue Rider” group, including masterpieces by Kandinsky, Marc, Münter and other important artists.
›› Luisenstr. 33, Tel. +49 89 233-32000
www.lenbachhaus.de
