Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sooner or later everyone gravitates towards the circular Gärtnerplatz, where street cafes
are lorded over by the splendid Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (
Click here
)
. Founded by
citizens in 1865, the theatre was taken over by Ludwig I after the owners went bankrupt.
The Glockenbachviertel (Bell Brook Quarter) derives its name from a foundry once
located on a stream nearby. Many of the city's carvers and woodworkers lived here, giv-
ing rise to street names such as
Baumstrasse
(Tree St) and
Holzstrasse
(Wood St). A
lovely spot for a walk is along the babbling Glockenbach creek, which runs south along
Pestalozzistrasse. It's the sole survivor of a network of brooks that once crisscrossed Mu-
nich; the rest have been rerouted or paved over. This one parallels the Alter Südlicher
Friedhof
,
a cemetery that's a favourite final destination for Munich's wealthy. Famous
residents include the painter Carl Spitzweg, the physicist Joseph von Fraunhofer and the
architect Friedrich von Gärtner. Look for a plaque with names and grave locations near
the entrance.
LEHEL
Just east of the Altstadt proper, Lehel (prnounced
lay-hl
) has the second-highest concen-
tration of museums after the art nexus in Maxvorstadt. It's the oldest Munich suburb, hav-
ing been absorbed into the city in 1724, and a charismatic warren of quiet streets lined
with late-19th-century buildings.
