The English Garden

An instant love affair

We have a very special place in our hearts for Munich's "breathing space", home to deer and rabbits and hundreds of different trees and flowers. Visualize NYC's central park twice as large but where you can let your romantic instincts run free at any hour of the day or night, no need to hire karate kids to fend off violence conditioned people. It is most likely the only city park that starts in the heart of town and transitions smoothly into the countryside. You will meet dalmatians on their daily workout and many other happy dogs, they all enjoy running free without leashes hunting scents and meeting their friends regularly. The park stretches close to 3 1/2 miles north to south on the west bank of the Isar. Count Rumford (an exiled American) had the garden planned in 1789, the year of the french revolution. Initially it was meant to be a place for soldiers without work - each one to plant his own patch - but scared that Bavaria would follow the french uphieval, he decided that people in Munich needed to be given a generous space they could enjoy while living in poverty. Probably the only men in uniforms that have gathered in this unique area belonged to Napoleon the 1st. The whole regiment camped out in 1806 and remembered that spot long time after.

A touch of Asia: tea house and china tower

If you followed our all american day suggestion and found your way to the "Eisbach" behind the "Haus der Kunst" you may have noticed a beautiful japanese tea house in the middle of a crowded duck and goose pond. Mitsuo Normura built this peaceful place in 1972, the year of the tragic events during the olympic games. A tea ceremony is held twice a month on the 2nd and 4th weekend between 3 and 5 pm. If you faintly hear bavarian brass just follow the marching tunes to the chinese tower. Here awaits you Munich's largest beergarden.

Some like it wild, others ...

At some time you may notice a statue in the Residenzmuseum with an inscription paraphrasing the motto of the park: "Harmlos wandelt hier, dann kehret neu gestärkt zu jeder Pflicht zurück" which translates very approximately to "casually wander around here, then return strenghtened to fulfill any duties". The english garden is split by the mittlerer ring (a small city freeway that circles around Munich) into a wild versus domesticated part. Huge trees, wild flowers, hey grass give home to deer, foxes and rabbits while well fed swans and ducks overpopulate the Kleinhesseloher lake, a marvelous place to take your date hostage on a row (love) boat ride.

The Monopteros - a neo classical rotunda looking down from a small hill - is where nude sunbathers and exotic looking musicians meet for pleasures not so often tolerated by law enforcement. American style rhythm & blues , african kongas, indian sitars, panamerican flutes, you name it they've got it.

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