English Garden (Munich) is a place where you can have a picnic, sunbathe on the beach, swim in the lake, eat at a cafe, try different types of beer in the beer garden, and even go surfing. All this is in the heart of the Bavarian capital.
General information
The English Garden is one of the largest parks in the world, covering an area of 417 hectares. It is significantly larger than the famous Hyde Park in London or Central Park in New York.
It is located in the central and northern part of Munich, connecting the Old Town and the Student Village. The southern part of the park (closer to the center) is very popular among tourists, with between 20,000 and 60,000 visitors per day. The northern part of the park, on the other hand, remains a quiet corner of Munich, 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 attractions, as well as a surfing area and nudist fields, which have made the garden so popular.
What to see in the park
The English Garden is the perfect place to spend your days off. There are dozens of attractions here that will take you more than one day to visit.
Chinese Tower
The Chinese Tower was built in an English Park in Munich at the end of the 18th century, but during the Second World War it burned down. The landmark was restored in the 1950s. Now it is a symbol and a central part of the English Garden. There are tables and a small cafe where guests of the park can have a snack. Concerts and various festivals are held periodically.
Beer gardens
- The beer garden is located near the China Tower. It can accommodate up to 7,000 guests at a time. The garden offers a variety of German beers, traditional snacks, and live music. It is a popular destination for tourists.
- Seehaus. This is a beer garden on the shore of the picturesque Kleinhessenlohe lake. The number of seats is 2500. Near this attraction there is a playground and a boat station, near which you can rent a catamaran.
- Hirschau is the most popular beer garden among locals. It has fewer seats (1,700), but the atmosphere is more intimate.
- Aumäister. This is the oldest (founded in 1810) and northernmost beer garden in the English Park. There is a large playground and many bicycle paths nearby. Most of the visitors are local residents.
Monopter
Monopter is an elegant rotunda (temple) in the Greek style, which is located on a low hill. Ludwig I, who ordered the construction of this building, believed that it was a great place to be alone and think about the eternal. Nowadays, of course, this is not possible due to the large number of tourists who visit the building.
Japanese Tea House
The Japanese Tea House is an elegant structure located on a small island (connected by a small bridge). This building was a gift from the Japanese to the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
You won’t be able to enter the house, as it is just a beautiful decoration that recreates the atmosphere of Japan. Near the attraction, you can relax in the East Square, where you can see cherry trees and Japanese-style flower beds.
Monument to Friedrich Ludwig Schkel
Friedrich Ludwig Schkel is the man who started the English Garden in Bavaria. The monument is a tall column with four women and a pedestal with words of gratitude to the king.
This attraction can be found on the shore of Lake Kleine Hessenlohe.
Rumfordhouse
Rumfordhouse is a former casino that now houses a kindergarten. On the outside, it looks like a typical classical house, but if you enter the main hall, you’ll find a spacious room with dozens of mirrors and pristine white columns. The building occasionally hosts concerts and other festive events.
Stone Bench
The stone bench reaches 10 meters in width, and is located on a high pedestal. Interestingly, there used to be a temple on this site. It was destroyed, but the foundation is well preserved, and eventually served as the basis for the bench.
Tourists and locals like to sit here and have picnics from time to time.
Amphitheater
The amphitheater in the English Park was built in the 18th century, but it was destroyed during the war and was only restored in the 1980s. Today, it is a popular recreational area for the city’s residents. In addition, concerts and theatrical performances are held here almost every week. Admission is free.
The attraction is located near a beer garden.
Tivoli Power Station
The Tivoli Power Station is one of the main architectural monuments of the English Park. It is an important historical landmark for the city, dating back to the 18th century. Currently, the power station is not operational, and the building is used as an exhibition pavilion or concert hall.
Schonfeldwiz
Schonfeldwies 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 have visited the English Park have noted that this rule is not always followed, and nudists are taking over more and more territory every year.
Also pay attention to the following places:
- Hirschau Meadow. It is 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 their sheep and goats here. There are no restaurants or cafes nearby, so you can think that you have come to one of the picturesque German villages.
- The Sant-Emmeram Bridge (which connects the banks of the Isar River) is also located in the northern part of the park. Its highlight is its wooden canopy roof and its length of 96 meters. The bridge is only accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
- 5 ponds in the northern part of the English Park. These places are interesting because they are home to about 100 species of birds. Most of them can be seen on the water: swans, ducks, pelicans, and seagulls.
English Park Surfing Experience
A few years ago, an unusual artificial wave was built on the Isbach River, which flows through the southern part of Munich’s English Park. Every day, dozens of surfers come to see and ride this wave.
The wave reaches a height of 50-60 cm, but since the current is quite strong, this is not the place for those who are just starting to surf. It is also worth noting that only one surfer can ride the wave at a time, as the river is narrow.
There’s an unspoken rule: one athlete can only surf for a minute, as there’s always a long line behind them.
Unfortunately, the water temperature in the river is quite low even in summer, so surfers always wear protective suits. The most comfortable months are July and August. However, there are also brave surfers who train all year round.
Even if you don’t want to go surfing in Munich’s English Park, make sure to visit the Isbach River. Tourists say it’s one of those places that are definitely worth seeing.
Useful tips
- Set aside a whole day to visit the park. It has everything you need for a comfortable stay: cafes, restaurants, sun loungers on the beaches, and interesting sights.
- Local residents recommend cycling instead of walking in the park.
- Be sure to attend one of the many evening concerts that regularly take place in the English Park.
- There are several bus stops and two car tracks inside the park, so you can easily get to the hotel.
- If you don’t want to join the crowds of tourists, head to the northern part of the English Park, where there are fewer people but more walking trails and cafes.
- Please note that in order to surf in the English Garden of Munich, you will need to bring your own surfboard, as there are no surfboard rentals available nearby.
The English Garden in Munich is a great place to relax and find something to do.
