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Altstadt meaning "old city" is the very heart of Munich. Three gates are all that remain of the medieval defensive walls, but within is a well-preserved district with many of Munich's iconic sights: twin-towered Frauenkirche, New City Hall with clockwork figures dancing to the chimes of its Glockenspiel, and Hofbräuhaus that temple to drinking and gorging.
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Old Town Hall & Toy Museum
This was built in 1474 to replace an even older town hall, and was the city chambers until Neues Rathaus was built in the late 19th century. It was bombed during World War II but rebuilt. It's now mostly a ceremonial hall and events venue, but the tower contains a toy museum.
New Town Hall
This was built in phases from 1867 to 1909. It's still a busy city chambers, with access only on business, but you can ride the lift to the observation deck of the tower. For most visitors the ornate neo-Gothic exterior is experience enough. At 11:00, 12:00 and 17:00 the Glockenspiel cranks into life: medieval minstrels parade, knights joust (the knight in Bavarian blue always wins) and Morris dancers pirouette to the sound of the bells. They all freeze en tableaux to the tune of "I don't have a wooden heart" (Elvis Presley, 1960) which alas they do.
Munich's first parish church was started in the 12th century, but burned down in the great city fire of 1327. It was rebuilt by 1368 in Gothic style. The 92 m main tower (called Alter Peter) stands between the stumps of two original towers. The interior is basilica plan, with an elaborate gilded high altar, richly decorated side chapels and artwork. Roman Catholic mass is held Tu-Su at 10:00, 17:15 & 18:00. You can climb the 306 steps of the tower for city views.
Church of Our Lady
This huge church defines the Munich skyline with its twin onion-domed towers, a shade over 98 m tall - the money ran out for the planned spires. It's the Roman Catholic cathedral, but always known locally as Frauenkirche. It was built from 1469 to 1488 in brick because of a lack of suitable local stone; the towers were only completed in 1525, cleverly anticipating a law of 2004 that no structure within Altstadt may exceed 99 m in height. Although its style is Gothic, it's fairly simple outside and in, without the usual ornamentation of that style. Eleven kings or archdukes of Bavaria are interred here. The church was bombed in wartime and full restoration took until 1994. Its three naves are of equal height, creating a single hall soaring so high that you can't see the windows, and light floods in from no visible source. This is in legend is the feature that caused the devil to stamp in pique, leaving a black footprint (Teufelstritt) within a yellow flagstone just inside the entrance. You can climb the south tower.
Church of St Cajetan and Adelheid
Roman Catholic church in eye-catching Italianate High Baroque, looking like it belongs in Syracuse. The Theatins were an austere monastic order founded by the 15th century Saint Cajetan, and they built several similar churches. This one was built from 1662 as thanksgiving for the birth of Maximilian II Emanuel, which secured the royal succession. The church was damaged in wartime but restored, and is now in the care of the Dominican Order.
Modern art museum, no permanent collection but rotating exhibitions. It's funded by HypoVereinsbank.
Royal Palace and seat of government of the Wittelsbach dynasty, bombed in wartime but rebuilt. The two principal areas are the Treasury and the Museum (separate admission €9 each). The Treasury (Schatzkammer) has a huge collection of ecclesiastical and secular bling, such as the royal crowns, orb and sceptre. In the Museum, the Antiquarium is the barrel-vaulted banqueting hall. The Papal Rooms accommodated Pius VI on his visit to Munich and are Baroque. The Ancestral Gallery, Porcelain Cabinet and Ornate Rooms are Rococo. The neo-classical Königsbau, added in the 19th century, houses the Charlotte Rooms, the royal apartments and the Halls of Battles. There's an additional charge for the Cuvilliés Theatre.
This museum about German Theatre remains closed in 2022. Some exhibits are on temporary display elsewhere in the city.
Staatskanzlei
This fills the east side of Hofgarten, housing the Bavarian Minister (president of the Lande government) and his / her cabinet meetings. The central dome was built in 1879 to house the Royal Bavarian Army Museum. It was bombed out in World War II and only restored in the 1980s. The modern side wings were built 1989-93. In front of the building is a memorial to Munich citizens who died in wartime, and a statue of Duke Otto I, 12th century founder of the Bavarian royal dynasty. Admission to the Chancellery is only on business but their website gives an online tour.
Grand exhibition hall completed in 1937 in Nazi - Art Deco style. It doesn't have a permanent collection but mounts ever-changing graphic arts exhibitions.
Huge and fascinating museum of European history from the Middle Ages until early 20th century. There's armour, pottery, furniture, fashions, porcelain, beer mugs, the lot; plus Oct-April a display of nativity scenes. The Bollert medieval art collection is only open Th F 10:00-17:00.
An extensive private collection of 19th century Late Romantic art.
Museum of Five Continents
Omitting Europe and Antarctica, the former Museum für Völkerkunde is a global ethnological collection.
Changing art exhibitions provided by the art foundation of Versicherungskammer Bayern.
A small museum displaying the history of alpine exploration in the Bavarian Alps. It remains closed in 2022.
History of the festival, in a townhouse of 1340. The "Himmelsleiter" is its characteristic early staircase, a straight flight with no corners.
Karl Valentin (Valentin Ludwig Fey, 1882-1948) was the Charlie Chaplin of Weimar Germany, appearing alongside a padded-up Liesl Karlstadt (Elisabeth Wellano, 1892-1960). Their typical guise was a pair of factory hands raging against their boss, and this quirky museum celebrates their style, which influenced many such as Brecht. The humour is mostly non-verbal but it will help if your German is good.
Grand Renaissance church built for the Jesuits 1583-1599 by Duke Wilhelm V, as a bastion of the Counter-Reformation against those awful Lutherans. The Duke nearly busted the state coffers in buying up the land and funding a construction that townsfolk reckoned was too big to stand. And down fell the tower: "I know, I'll build it bigger". This version survived until bombed in wartime and was restored in the 1950s. The facade and interior continue the triumphal theme, for example the statue of Archangel Michael slaying a demon who might be Protestant. The church crypt holds many tombs of the Wittelsbach dynasty, including "mad king" Ludwig II.
Munich City Museum
Extensive museum, occupying most of a city block; absorbing but signage is only in German. The oldest part of the building is an armory of 1500, the newest is the former Uhlfelder department store (all bombed in wartime, but the collections had been taken to safety), and it's growing still. The permanent exhibitions are "Typically Munich!" (how the city acquired its identity), Migration, National Socialism (the movement was launched here), Puppets and Fairground, and Music. "Collections" (whose highlights may figure in exhibitions) include photography, applied arts, graphics, textiles and music. Temporary exhibitions are generally on site for a year or so. There's also a film museum and theatre with daily screenings. Check ahead online for gallery closures, and search the online catalogue.
המוזיאון היהודי במינכן
Small museum of Jewish life in the city - and death. It adjoins the Ohel Jakov synagogue and the Jewish community centre.
Street and urban art is ephemeral but the idea of MUCA, opened in 2016, is to bring it into the artistic mainstream. There's a permanent collection and rotating exhibitions.
This Late Baroque confection was built from 1733 to 1746 as a private chapel by Egid Quirin Asam - he could see the altar from his house next door. His brother, Cosmas Damian Asam, did the frescoes. The church is dedicated to St John Nepomuk (1345-93), a Bohemian monk cast into the river Vltava in Prague at the behest of King Wenceslaus IV. Legend has it that Nepomuk refused to divulge the queen's confessional secrets, but his real crime was to back the wrong candidate for abbot. The church is wonderful by candlelight, especially at the Christmas Eve service, replete with Bavarian singers in the choir stall.
Avant garde theatre, often with surprising modern interpretations of the classics. Some performances are in English, and all have English subtitles.
Shows ballet and opera performances almost every night.
This stages a variety of classical and modern plays.
Good pizza and location, so it can get crowded.
This pan-Asian fast food restaurant on the south side of Marienplatz serves excellent Asian noodle soups for an affordable price.
Claims to be the birthplace of Munich Weißwurst in 1857. Excellent food and friendly staff. Good beer, especially Weißbier, in copious amounts. Come hungry, and you'll leave bloated.
Traditional Bavarian restaurant opposite Frauenkirche. Their specialty is Nürnberger Rostbratwürstl - smaller than a standard sausage, so a serving is six instead of the usual three.
This traditional Bavarian restaurant 100 m east of Marienplatz remains closed in 2022.
Echt Bavarian restaurant run by Schneider Weiße wheat-beer brewery, great food and atmosphere.
Solid traditional Bavarian food and open late, run by Tegernseer Brewery.
Paulaner im Tal
Under new management since March 2022, this Bavarian restaurant owned by Paulaner Brewery needs to improve.
Excellent Persian cuisine.
Italian restaurant / pizzeria
This quirky bar has morphed into a salad cafe, but they're huge portions. Cash only.
Among Munich's best Italian restaurants, with accordingly high prices.
Long-established vegetarian restaurant, bright and spacious, good menu selection.
This occupies the basement of New Town Hall. Great ambiance and trad Bavarian food.
Small brew-pub serving beer from Andechs Klosterbrauerei, an easy day-trip from the city. Excellent beer and views of the cathedral, decent food.
Munich's most famous bräuhaus, here since 1644, is touristy but great fun; you may need photo-ID to get in. Schwemme is the 1300-seater ground floor beer hall in the original brewery area. There's oompah music at weekends - listen out for the "oans, zwoa, g'suffa!" song, "one, two, drink up!". Bräustüberl is the stylish restaurant on the first floor. Festsaal on the second floor is a barrel-vaulted events venue. The beer garden beneath the chestnut trees seats 400.
Beer hall and restaurant of Augustiner brewery, founded in 1294, great atmosphere, beer and trad food. They have another beerhall on Arnulfstraße, see Munich/Maxvorstadt#Drink).
This is the only beer garden in Altstadt, just south of Marienplatz. With 600 seats, it serves beer from all the big Munich breweries Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. It can feel touristy.
An established old bar and café with a large terrace behind Haus der Kunst. Decor fine, service and drinks so-so.
Since 1985 this place has been serving up excellent cocktails. Friendly helpful staff.
Kilians is behind the Frauenkirche and offers the usual Irish beers. Friendly place with good beer and grub, occasionally hosts live music, and it's a popular place among expats, tourists, and Germans alike.
Small and authentically grubby basement bar-club.
Posh nightclub that was once considered a favorite of the high society. Today more lounge than discotheque with a large outdoor terrace. "P1" is shorthand for the address.
Small nightclub 100 m south of Sendlinger Tor. This venue with red plush and mirrored walls once was a hotspot of Munich's gay scene - a frequent customer was Freddie Mercury who lived nearby. Today it is an afterhours house and techno club open after other clubs have closed.
Simple value place just north of Sendlinger Tor and its station.
Reliable budget chain. They have three others across the city.
Basic clean hotel by Jewish and Stadt museums.
Good value chain hotel, clean and well-run. Mercure have four others across the city.
formerly Golden Leaf Parkhotel
Smart place in a former ice cream factory - so you'd expect it to have a/c, but it doesn't and gets sultry in summer.
Delightful small hotel just off Maxmonument.
Grand old hotel, attracting big name guests since it opened in 1841. It was bombed in 1944 but rebuilt and extended. It's in a great location and its 337 rooms are spacious and well-appointed. But it gets mixed reviews - most guests have a good stay but too many report poor service, comfort and dining. At these prices it needs to be reliable.
This gets great reviews from travel publications and more importantly from almost all guests. 73 lavish rooms in neo-Renaissance style, and first class service and dining.
An elegant grand hotel with 150 years of tradition, but a string of poor customer experiences indicate that it doesn't live up to its brand name or price tag.
Stylish design hotel with 72 rooms, excellent value for its comfort and location.
The oldest hotel in town, founded in 1490, it's a traditional, family-run place with 90 rooms. Great value, you're getting an Altstadt location for further-out prices.
A legendary delicatessen store with market and bakery. Its eat-in choices are the cafe-bistro, bar-grill, and restaurant.
This luxury department store was built in 1905 and became a Munich landmark with its three-gable facade. All the pricey top brands are here, look elsewhere for bargains. There's a 5th floor self-service restaurant, with the rooftop terrace open in the warmer months.
Large open-air market.
This former granary is an indoor shopping centre with a branch of Eataly.
Department store with a wide range of designer clothing and accessories, and a bar.
Hauptbahnhof the main railway station is just west of this district, within walking distance. See Munich#Get in for inter-city connections, which span Europe.
Read in the guideWalking is usually the best option. Most public transport circles the centre rather than threading through it.
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