English Garden (Munich) – a place where you can have a picnic, sunbathe on the beach, swim in the lake, have a bite to eat in a cafe, taste different sorts of beer in the beer garden and even go surfing. And all this in the heart of the Bavarian capital.
General information
The English Garden is one of the largest parks in the world, which covers an area of 417 hectares. It is significantly larger than the famous Hyde Park in London, or, for example, Central Park in New York.
Located in the central and northern part of Munich, it connects the Old Town and the Student Village. The southern part of the park (closer to the center) is very popular with tourists: from 20 to 60 thousand guests of the Bavarian capital can visit here in a day. The northern part of the park, in turn, remains a quiet corner of Munich, which is more like a forest than one of the largest gardens in the world.
However, the English Garden is famous not only for its size. The park has a number of unusual sights, as well as a place for surfing and glades for nudists, thanks to which the garden has become so popular.
What to see in the park
The English Garden is the place where you can relax for days on end. There are dozens of attractions, which will take more than one day to visit.
The Chinese tower was erected in the English Park of Munich at the end of the 18th century, but it burned down during the Second World War. Restored the attraction in the 1950s. Now it is a symbol and the central part of the English Garden. There are tables and there is a small cafe where guests of the park can eat. Concerts and various festivals are held periodically.
- Beer garden near the Chinese tower. At the same time it can be visited by 7000 guests. At their service: dozens of types of German beer, traditional snacks and live music. The main contingent is tourists.
- Seehouse. This is a beer garden on the banks of the picturesque Kleinhessenloe lake. Number of seats – 2500. Near this attraction is a playground and a boat station, near which you can rent a catamaran.
- Hirschau is the most popular beer garden among locals. There are fewer seats (1700), but the atmosphere is sincere.
- Aumeister. It is the oldest (founded in 1810) and the northernmost beer garden in the English Park. Nearby there is a large playground and many bike paths. Most of the visitors are locals.
Monopter is a graceful rotunda (temple) in the Greek style, which is located on a low hill. Ludwig 1, who ordered the construction of this building, thought it was a great place to be alone and think about the eternal. Now this, of course, will not be allowed to make crowds of tourists, because the building is very popular.
Japanese Tea House is an elegant building located on a small island (a small bridge leads to it). This building is a gift from the Japanese to the 1972 Olympics, which was held in Munich.
Going into the house does not work out – it’s just a beautiful decoration that recreates the atmosphere of Japan. Not far from the sights, you can relax in East Square – here sakura grows and Japanese-style flowerbeds are planted.
Friedrich Ludwig Skel is the man who began to create the English Garden in Bavaria. The monument looks like this: a tall column with four women and a pedestal on which words of gratitude to the king are stamped.
This attraction can be found on the shores of Lake Kleinehessenloe.
Rumfordhouse – a former casino, which now houses a kindergarten. In appearance it is an ordinary house in the style of classicism, but if you go into the main hall, you can see a huge room with a dozen mirrors and snow-white columns. Periodically, concerts and other celebrations are held here.
The stone bench reaches 10 meters wide, and is on a high pedestal. Interestingly, the temple was located at this place before. It was destroyed, but the foundation was well preserved, and over time served as the basis for the bench.
Tourists and locals love to sit here and periodically arrange picnics.
The amphitheater in the English Park was built in the 18th century, however, it was destroyed during the war, and it was possible to restore it only in the 80s. Now it is a popular vacation spot among citizens. In addition, almost every week, concerts and theatrical performances take place at this place. Admission is free.
The attraction is located near the beer garden.
Tivoli Power Station is one of the main architectural monuments of the English Park. This is an important historical attraction for the city, which was built in the 18th century. It is clear that now the power plant is not functioning, and the building is used as an exhibition hall or concert hall.
Schonfeldviz is an area of the park where nudists are officially allowed to sunbathe. It is located in the southwestern part of the garden. However, tourists who visited the English Park, note that this rule is not always respected, and every year nudists occupy a larger and larger territory.
Also pay attention to the following places:
- Glade Hirschau. Located in the northern part of the English Park. This place will be especially interesting for children: in the morning and in the evening local farmers walk sheep and goats here. There are no restaurants and cafes nearby, so you might think as if you were in one of the picturesque German villages.
- The bridge of Sant Emmeram (connects the banks of the Isar River) is also located in the northern part of the park. Its highlight is a wooden hinged roof and a length of 96 meters. Only pedestrians and cyclists can cross the bridge.
- 5 ponds in the northern part of the English Park. These places are interesting in that there are about 100 species of birds. Most of them can be seen on the water: swans, ducks, pelicans and seagulls.
Surfing in the English Park
On the Eisbach River, which flows in the southern part of the English Park in Munich, several years ago an artificial wave unusual for Germany was constructed, to see and surf on which dozens of athletes come daily.
The wave reaches a height of 50-60 cm, but since the current is quite strong, there is no place for those who are just starting to surf. It is also worth keeping in mind that no more than one surfer can ride on a board at a time, since the river is narrow.
An unwritten rule applies: one athlete can surf for no more than a minute, because there is always a long queue behind.
Unfortunately, the temperature of the water in the river is quite low even in the summer, so those who are engaged in surfing always wear protective suits. The most comfortable is in July and August. However, there are daredevils who train all year round.
Even if you do not want to surf in the English Park of Munich, be sure to come to the Aisbach River. Tourists say that this is one of those places that is definitely worth seeing.
Useful Tips
- Set aside a full day at the park. There is everything for a comfortable stay: cafes, restaurants, sunbeds on the beaches and interesting sights.
- Locals advise not to walk in the park, but to arrange a bike ride.
- Be sure to visit one of the many evening concerts that regularly take place in the English Park.
- Inside the park there are several bus stops and two motorways, so you can easily get to the hotel.
- If you do not want to relax with crowds of tourists, go to the northern part of the English Park – there are much fewer people here, but there are more hiking trails and cafes.
- Please note that in order to surf in the English Garden of Munich, you need to come with your surfboard, because there are no rental centers for sports equipment nearby.
The English Garden, Munich is a good place to relax, where everyone will find something to their liking.
Family walk in Munich’s English park in the fall:
