Exhibition tip: Stuttgart 21 - railway exhibition in Munich

Exhibition tip: Stuttgart 21 in Munich

The Deutsches Museum's Transport Center is presenting a special exhibition on the new Stuttgart Central Station – here you can already enjoy a 360° view of the underground platform hall – a must-see for railway enthusiasts

Until October 7, 2025: Special exhibition "Stuttgart Central Station" in the Deutsches Museum's Transport Center – Alter Messeplatz behind the Bavaria statue in Munich (opposite the Inn at Bavaria Park with a beer garden and playground)

Munich. Station Architecture of the future - experience it now: Stuttgart 21 – arguably Germany's most famous construction site – is currently on display and can be experienced in the Deutsches Museum's Transport Center in Munich. The new Stuttgart Central Station has been under construction in the heart of the Baden-Württemberg state capital for more than 15 years. The first trains are scheduled to run here at the end of the year – the grand opening is planned for 2026. In the Deutsches Museum's Transport Center, you can already learn about the station and enjoy a 360° view of the underground platform hall. 

Transport Center of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Am Bavariapark 5, 80339 Munich, Photo: Helga Waess (Pressefotoarchiv)

"Stuttgart Central Station" is the simple title of the new special exhibition.

In the gallery in Hall III, photos, films, graphics, and two large models create a picture of a station that, with its combination of architecture, technology, and sustainability, is exemplary for our time. The highlight of the exhibition is a rotunda more than four meters high and almost ten meters in diameter, offering visitors a panoramic view of the underground station construction site.

In addition, three monitors provide a mix of interviews and moving images to learn more about the design process and construction of the station. A seven-meter-long light table displays an infographic on various aspects of the project – including its significance for German and European rail transport and the urban development perspective offered by the underground station above ground. A large cutaway model of the station is on display in the exhibition, as is a model of a "chalice support." These chalice supports not only characterize the architecture of the building but also provide natural lighting and ventilation for the platform concourse.

 

"Stuttgart 21 and its main station represent, like few other projects, the current challenges facing large-scale infrastructure projects in democratic societies," says Frank Zwintzscher, Curator of Rail Transport at the Deutsches Museum. These projects are complex, expensive, lengthy, and often fraught with conflict, which has long been the focus of attention, especially with the Stuttgart project. "Now construction is complete, and the concrete result is becoming visible: an impressive station building with a very high level of design and technology," says Zwintzscher. "We want to give our visitors the opportunity to gain an impression of it and form their own opinion."

The exhibition was created in collaboration with "christoph ingenhoven architects" and the Deutsches Museum's Transport Center.

Christoph Ingenhoven, whose architectural firm designed the station, emphasizes the project's ambitious ambition: "The heart of the city of Stuttgart will be the future main station with its surrounding squares. A new center is being created that will sustainably change the entire area for the better."

 

An extensive supporting program is planned for the exhibition, which focuses on station construction. Starting with Stuttgart 21 and the new main station, the current debate about the future of the railway, between dilapidated bridges and the announced "billions for infrastructure," will be addressed. "How can we agree today on what will be built, where, and how tomorrow? Why do we have such a hard time with major projects? How can we achieve a sustainable infrastructure in this country? And what are good design and landmarks worth to us? We would like to discuss questions like these with representatives from science, politics, business, and society in the coming months," says Zwintzscher.

The special exhibition "Stuttgart Central Station"

runs until October 7, 2025

Transportation Center of the Deutsches Museum
Am Bavariapark 5, 80339 Munich

Opening hours:

• Sunday 9:00–17:00
• Monday 9:00–17:00
• Tuesday 9:00–17:00
• Wednesday 9:00–17:00
• Thursday 9:00–17:00
• Friday 9:00–17:00
• Saturday 9:00–17:00  

Beer garden tip: Hinterbrühl in Munich on the Isar

Munich's most beautiful beer garden - An insider tip on the Isar River opposite Hellabrunn Zoo

Beer garden recommendation: Open in good weather and from May 1st - An insider secret of Munich residents is the Gasthof Hinterbrühl am See and Isarhochufer - a relaxing spot even during the Munich Spring Festival

Beer garden on the Isarhochufer: Hacker beer and Bavarian delicacies (Italiano, English, Deutsch, Francais)

Munich. Munich's most beautiful beer garden, with its old chestnut trees, is located on the Isarhochufer. Here you can experience Munich's beer garden tradition. After a long bike ride or a walk around the small Hinterbrühler See, you can look forward to relaxing in the beer garden. This is where cyclists and zoo visitors meet, as well as families with children, who will also find everything they need to entertain themselves in two children's playgrounds (600 square meters with a trampoline and climbing frame, etc.). The beer garden also includes a traditional Bavarian restaurant, which even offers curling in the winter. So head to the Isar for a snack. Homepage: gasthof-hinterbrühl.de

 

The rafters set off with their party in Wolfratshausen. Press photo: A. Waess

The beer garden at Gasthof Hinterbrühl

The beer garden, with 800 seats, is inviting for everyone. Bavarian delicacies such as sausage salad, spare ribs, pretzels, and Obazda (traditional Bavarian sausage), as well as fine local dishes, are served. As is customary in Munich beer gardens, bringing food is permitted, but drinks should be purchased here.

A shady spot under the old chestnut trees is safe. As mentioned, you overlook the Isar River and can see the guests waving to the rafters rushing past. The summer raft trips from Wolfratshausen to Munich are very popular.

Gasthof Hinterbrühl offers a rustic restaurant with Munich charm. In winter, the decor here is unbeatable, incredibly cozy, and ideal for Christmas parties with curling.

Here, good, delicious Hacker beer is served with Bavarian food. And on the 450 seats on the service terrace you can sit under huge blue parasols.

 

Directions to Gasthof Hinterbrühl

• S7 Solln or U3 Thalkirchen + Bus 135
• U2 to Thalkirchen/Tierpark, then continue with Bus 135 – stops in front of Gasthof Hinterbrühl

Gasthof Hinterbrühl

Hinterbrühl 2

81479 Munich

 

It's beautiful everywhere along the Isar!!! Press photo archive: Helga Waess

Munich: ENGLISH GARDEN - bike tour

ENGLISH GARDEN - Impressions of a bike tour

Shady paths under old trees and the sound of the Isar ... Idyllic, green and relaxed people - that's Munich too!

From Haidhausen to Oberföhring and back through the English Garden

Munich. It's the hot August days in Munich that inspire us to take a bike tour along the Isar. Our bike tour with reliable "PAKKA" bikes begins above the Isar and will lead through the English Garden. We start on the eastern high bank of the Isar: in Haidhausen. Winding paths lead down to the banks of the Isar. We enthusiastically stop at almost every corner and enjoy the greenery, the shade and the romantic places where we are almost alone today.

 

Path on the high bank of the Isar near Haidhausen, photo: Helga Waess

From here we drive down to the Isar and continue towards Bogenhausen.

Isar Canal, photo: Helga Waess

We drive through lush green parks with old trees, which provide wonderful cooling at almost 35 degrees.

Angel of Peace, Munich Maximiliansanlagen, photo: Helga Waess

Here we allow ourselves a look at the Angel of Peace, which towers over Munich's Maximilian complex at a height of 38 meters.

Isar in Munich, photo: Helga Waess

We drive an idyllic route to the right of the Isar under tall trees. Here on the edge of Bogenhausen the Isar flows slowly towards the Oberföhring dam. There the Isar is dammed by 6 meters by the building, which appears almost monumental like a castle.

Oberföhring weir, photo: Helga Waess

The so-called inlet, on which ducks and swans frolic, spans the Middle Isar Canal. At this point we cross the waterways. However, this impressive weir is not, as one would expect, a hydroelectric power station.
However, a smaller power plant located slightly below feeds the Middle Isar Canal, which only flows back into the Isar near Landshut. On the route to Landshut there are several run-of-river power plants that generate electricity over a total gradient of 109 m.

Isar Canal at the Oberföhring dam, photo: Helga Waess

Cycling along the Eisbach from the north takes you directly past the Tivoli power plant. The secluded red brick building complex, surrounded by trees, was built in 1896 as a hydroelectric power station. The bare brick building in our photo can now be used as an event location. The rest of the former facility with the turbine hall over the Eisbach, boiler hall and machine facilities are only partially there.

Pakka bicycles in front of the entrance to the Tivoli power station, Photo: Helga Waess

Wide paths lead from the north of the English Garden towards the city.

Northern English Garden, Munich, photo: Helga Waess

 

Artists can exhibit their works in the Orangery at the English Garden - but the lists are long and you have to wait a while.

Orangery at the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Now we have earned a break in the beer garden at the Chinese Tower

There is an article about this in this blog: Munich tip: Beer garden with live music and Bavarian delicacies at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden ... The Chinese Tower in Munich: Traditional Munich cuisine and a cool Hofbräu beer with traditional folk music from the tower. The beer garden is open from Monday to Sunday during “beer garden weather”! Mon-Fri from 11 a.m. / Sat and Sun from 10 a.m

Beer garden at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden, Munich, Photo: Helga Waess

From afar we can hear the brass band playing beer garden music on a plateau of the 25 meter high wooden tower.

Chinese Tower - Pagoda with Bavarian live music, beer garden atmosphere in the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Here you can quickly start a conversation and find out who came here or was even born in Munich.

Monopteros in the English Garden, Munich, photo: Helga Waess

After a refreshing stay in the beer garden, we drive towards the city center, past the Monopteros Hill and experience the city panorama above the trees of the English Garden.

Meadow in the English Garden in Munich, in the background the dome of the Bavarian State Chancellery, the top of the town hall tower and the characteristic towers of the Frauenkirche Munich, photo: Helga Waess

Behind the trees rises the dome of the Bavarian State Chancellery, the top of the town hall tower and the characteristic towers of the Frauenkirche with their “Welsh hoods”.

Relaxed Munich residents and tourists lie, play and sleep on the meadows.

This is Munich too!

Literature on the topics mentioned

•     Manfred Nerdinger (ed.): Architecture Guide Munich. Reimer, Berlin 2002
•     Werner A. Widmann: A piece of beauty lies above the Eisbach. The Tivoli power station in the English Garden. Tivoli Handels- und Immobilien-Aktiengesellschaft, Munich 1986

Celebration tip Munich - Summer festival at the farm in Sendling - Stemmerhof on August 3rd, 2024

Celebration tip Munich - summer festival in the Stemmerhof

On August 3rd, 2024 you should enjoy the summer festival with an idyll village square in the Stemmerhof in the middle of Munich

Event tip: August 3rd, 2024 summer festival at the Stemmerhof in Munich Sendling - in case of bad weather there is an alternative date of August 10th, 2024.

Munich - Sendling. Everyone joins in when the Stemmerhof invites you to the summer party. There is delicious food in the restaurants on the farm, a bar with all kinds of drinks, a large raffle music, good wines in the new wine bar Servus and fun for the little ones. The Munich district of Sendling is very popular with its residents. And almost right in the middle is the Stemmerhof with its many shops, restaurants and event rooms that allow all kinds of cultural events. Here you can find food, organic products, even clothing and gift items as well as jewelry directly from the designer.  This old farm opposite the old Sendlingen church of St. Margret, which is interesting in terms of cultural and art history, today forms, so to speak, the Sendlingen village square. The beautiful Austrian restaurant ÖEINS (Ö1) has a great outdoor area in the courtyard and a cozy beer garden or relaxing relaxation garden with a play area at the back of the restaurant. The farm also impresses with smaller restaurants, sun terraces and restaurants throughout the farm. There is a great court theater, a painting school, always new exhibitions and even a music school with great teachers for all kinds of music lessons! Just 30 years ago, the last cows were kept and dairy farming was carried out on this farm.  (further information at www.stemmerhof.de)

Stemmerhof in Munich Sendling, July 2024, photo: A. Waess

Summer festival at the Stemmerhof in Munich Sendling

• Plinganserstr. 6, 81369 Munich, 
• Saturday, August 3, 2024, 
• 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m

PPoster for the summer festival at the Stemmerhof in Munich Sendling - on August 3rd, 2024  

Summer festival at Stemmerhof

Saturday, August 3, 2024, 

• 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m

​
throughout the entire farm area

Munich excursion tip: Lake Starnberg

Excursion tip: Lake Starnberg

Swimming fun, cycling tour or delicious fish from the fisherman and a cool Bavarian beer in one of the numerous beer gardens around Lake Starnberg

 

Tip: take the S-Bahn or the bus - without having to look for a parking space, directly to the boat pier and then continue... (GERMAN)

 

Starnberger Lake. Anyone visiting Munich should not forget the many lakes in the Bavarian foothills of the Alps. The Munich locals' lake, as Lake Starnberg is also called, is worth a trip at any time of year and especially in midsummer. The water temperature in Lake Starnberg, which is almost 128 meters deep, is currently (July 8, 2024) at 22 degrees and can still rise a little. So: best bathing weather! From Munich you can quickly reach the lake in about 30 minutes by car, as it is 40 km away. However, parking spaces are rare in summer! But the proximity to Munich invites you to take a day trip. Here is a link for more information: bayregio-starnberger-see.de (enter the link in your browser and explore the lake on the map).

Lake Starnberg - Photo from Ammerland towards Starnberg, photo: Helga Waess (archive)

 

Bike tour on Lake Starnberg

 By the way, the lake has a total length of 21.7 km and if you want to ride around by bike, you should allow almost 6 hours for the SEERUNDWEG - not including breaks and uphill and downhill rides.

So it's better to plan partial routes: Ostuferweg or through the Osterseen from Seeshaupt. But it's also possible on foot! The S-Bahn from Munich takes you to Starnberg or Tutzing and also to Seeshaupt. Here and there there is a waterfront promenade like in Herrsching, where you can stroll along the lake for a full 10 km and here and there you should sit by the water in the beer garden.

 

Starnberg Lake with a view towards the Seeshaupt and the Alps - here: water sports on Lake Starnberg, photo: Helga Waess

 

Photo impressions from Lake Starnberg

 Cozy spots can be found around the lake

But you have to search a bit, because many banks are built-up and private property, but there are designated bathing areas with secluded spots... for example in Bernried. For a comfortable day of swimming, you should consult the nautical chart beforehand and plan straight away!

 

 Here the famous SEE sport for everyone

The pluffists who practice this sport are simply concerned with the most beautiful sound:

for the most beautiful PLUFF !!!

Here are the instructions for future Pluffists: (our article in this blog: You need a body of water with stones. We choose Lake Starnberg for our self-experiment as Pluff athletes. The water is so clear that you can immediately find the stone with the most beautiful PLUFF - in German: Man braucht ein Gewässer mit Steinen. Wir wählen für unseren Selbstversuch als Pluff-Sportler den Starnberger See.  Das Wasser ist so klar, dass man den Stein mit dem schönsten PLUFF sofort wiederfindet.

Lake Starnberg - romance on the lakeshore, photo: Helga Waess (archive)

 
Count Pocci, the inventor of Kasperl Larifari, lived here

From the lake the view towards Pocci Castle - Ammerland, photo: Helga Waess (archive)

ROMANCE TIP

You should always plan for a sunset at Lake Starnberg!

Lake Starnberg in the evening! When the day goes... Photo: Helga Waess (press archive)

Munich: Relaxation in the English Garden in the heart of the city

 The English Garden in Munich 

Cycling through the English Garden, sitting in the beer garden, surfing on the Eisbachwelle or taking a pedal boat across the lake - this is where Munich relaxes

The English Garden is a recreational area for everyone 

Munich. The Bavarian capital has the largest inner-city park in the world. The English Garden stretches from the old town ring up to the northeast of the city and is bordered on the side by the west bank with the Isar meadows. If you need a little relaxation after a walk through the beautiful old town of Munich with all the cafes and shops, then you just have to walk from Odeonsplatz through the Hofgarten with the residence of the Bavarian kings and from here via Prinzregentenstrasse to the "Haus der Kunst". Behind the museum building, visitors to Munich will find the English Garden, which is five and a half kilometers long (at 375 hectares, it even exceeds Central Park - 335 hectares) in New York. The English Garden, the green lung of Munich, was designed by Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell designed and modeled on the famous English landscape gardens. The plan was to create a recreational area for everyone. And that's how it happened: today, young and old relax in the Munich landscape garden --- In this blog: ENGLISH GARDEN - Impressions of a bike tour - Idyllic, green and relaxed people - that's Munich too! - From Haidhausen to Oberföhring and back through the English Garden (GERMAN: ENGLISCHER GARTEN - Impressionen einer Fahrradtour  - Idylle, grün und entspannte Menschen - auch das ist München! - Von Haidhausen nach Oberföhring und zurück durch den Englischen Garten

Spacious lawn in the English Garden with a panoramic view of the dome of the State Chancellery and the Frauenkirche in Munich's old town, photo: Helga Waess

Sights and beer gardens in the English Garden in Munich

With extensive meadows and old trees, the park offers relaxation in every season. Today you can even find relaxation here as a cyclist and can relax in the beer garden at the famous Chinese Tower (pagoda building in the imperial Chinese style) with live Bavarian music or relax on one of the 1,800 seats in the Hirschau Beer Garden. And as if that weren't enough, the “Aumeister Beer Garden” is waiting at the northern end of the English Garden and is popular with Munich residents.

With the Pakka bike through the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Sights in the English Garden

You can enjoy the panorama of the city with all its towers from the Monopteros Temple (the hill with the temple structure was built in 1836), marvel at the surfers on the wave from the Eisbach, hear the sound of the waterfalls from the Schwabinger Bach, visit the Japanese tea house (m South end of the park), marvel at the Rumfordschlössl (built in 1791) or watch the many ducks and geese at Kleinhesseloher Lake and go rowing or pedal boating. Photo opportunities can be found everywhere, including in the northern English Garden, where the Isar gets loud at the dam or the natural trees look downright wild.

Geese at Kleinhesseloher See - Photo: Helga Waess

Surfing on the Eisbachwelle at the Haus der Kunst 

The Eisbach wave is only permitted for experienced surfers. If you don't have much practice yet, you can try out the rafting area - always "at your own risk"!
By the way, swimming and bathing are not permitted on the Eisbach and the Floßlände.

DIRECTIONS to the English Garden in Munich

The best subway stations to visit the English Garden are:

• “Odeonsplatz” – line U3/U6 or U4/U5 
•  “University” – line U3/U6

Ducks in the lake, photo: Helga Waess

 
   

Bavaria: Munich starts May

 Bavaria starts May

 

Maypole display in the Munich area, youth festival “laut.stark” and stage program on Marienplatz

May 1st in Munich: tradition and maypole, beer gardens and traditional restaurants (GERMAN)

Munich. Because custom dictates and the ravages of time take its toll on the beautiful blue and white maypoles, a maypole is put up every few years. The lifespan of the new festival tree is usually four or five years. In Munich, the maypoles are then erected with the help of cranes by the Munich fire department or the Technical Relief Agency (THW).

 

The maypole on the Viktualienmarkt, photo: Helga Waess (press archive)

This year, new Mai were set up here and there in the surrounding area in festive community work and with the help of long poles, the "Schwaiberln", according to old custom. It was festive when the maypole was put up in Neukeferloh - in the municipality of Grasbrunn -, in beautiful Zolling near Freising and also in Holzhausen on Lake Starnberg. And now the new tree and the beginning of the happy month are celebrated.

Marienplatz in Munich - there's a party here! Photo: A. Waess (Photo Archive Press)

Munich celebrates on Marienplatz in front of the town hall in the heart of the state capital - with a stage program at Marienplatz

At the municipal cultural festival on May 1st there will also be a stage program with soul, bluegrass and power polka on the open-air stage. And for your physical well-being, there is a beer garden, snack stands and lots of hands-on activities.

And from 4:30 p.m. to around 9 p.m., the colorful youth festival “laut.stark” will bring cheeky, fresh young musicians to the stage.

•      Admission is free

Brewery lion in front of the Bayernland marquee at the spring festival in Munich - Theresienwiese (untill  5th May), photo: A. Waess

In addition, the Munich weather of 26 degrees on May 1st invites you to go to the city's many beer gardens

The famous beer garden with live music at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden, photo: A. Waess

Festival dates in the wonderful month of May

•  May 3rd to 12th, Haderner village festival in Großhadern (location: Max-Lebsche-Platz)
•  May 3rd to 12th, Truderinger Festival Week (location: Truderinger Festplatz) with fireworks on May 5th.
• May 4th, 2 p.m.: Stadlfest with Maitanz in Riem (location: Gut Riem, Isarlandstraße 1)
• May 8th to 20th: Allacher Festwoche (location: Eversbuschstraße 153)