Bogenhausen - exclusive residential area for the Munich nobility

When you think of Bogenhausen, the mind conjures up images of Flick and Thyssen, as well as Boris Becker, wealth and splendour. The reality is far from it, as plenty of different people share this part of the city, even though Mauerkircher Strasse is teeming with mansions and many a VIP and wealthy fellow live or have lived in Bogenhausen. It’s barely plausible that the people of Bogenhausen once had to make a living through the laborious tasks of farming and transporting bricks. Today, the exclusive residential area on the bank of the Isar river, the grand constructions around the Prinzregententheater and Herzogpark are all part of one of the most sought-after areas in Munich. However, more and more of the residences have been replaced by office blocks in recent years.

Due to the size of the area, there are always new faces popping up in Bogenhausen. From the above-mentioned mansions to wonderful stuccoed houses, as well as more modern constructions, there is a broad architectural spectrum. One of the first skyscrapers in Munich was the HypoVereinsbank tower at Mittlerer Ring. Immediately behind that is the Arabella Park with two large hotels and a business and shopping centre. Among other things, it is the home of the Burda publishing house and the editorial offices of the Focus and Bunte magazines. By the way, the name Arabella stems from a Richard Strauß opera. Construction of the entire site began in 1966.

The ‘Friedensengel’ (Angel of Peace) stands in the middle of the famous Prinzregentenstraße and watches over the city. As well as the Prinzregententheater and the Prinzregentenstadion, which consists of an outdoor pool, sauna facilities and an ice-skating rink, the delicatessen shop Käfer has been established there since 1930. The golden Friedensengel was unveiled on the Prinzregententerrasse, erected by Jakob Möhl and Adolf Hildebrand in 1891, to commemorate the Treaty of Versailles of 1870/71. The Friedensengel first came into being between 1896 and 1899 and was designed in the style of the classic goddess Nike.

If you drive out of the city and around the Friedensengel, the Museum Villa Stuck can be spotted on the right hand side. Franz von Stuck built this magnificent structure in 1897/98 in accordance with his own design and equipped it with furniture which he also created himself. The luxurious rooms combine prestigious art studio with private abode and were celebrated by contemporaries as a ‘modern yet idiosyncratic sensation’. Paul Klee, one of Stuck’s students, described the Villa Stuck as ‘frighteningly magnificent’.

As well as the Austrian and Polish general consulates, the Federal Finance Court is also housed in Bogenhausen. The building is steeped in history and is situated in an 18,000 square metre park. It was acquired by the then Bavarian Minister of State Freiherr Maximilian von Montgelas. The so-called Treaty of Bogenhausen was agreed in his ‘Gartenhaus Bogenhausen’ in 1805. This secret treaty established an alliance between Bavaria and France against Austria and Russia, their allies at the time, and allowed Napoleon to march into Bavaria with his troops. In return, Bavaria could realign its boundaries, and Elector Max IV. Joseph of Bavaria received royal dignity.

Bogenhausen lies north-east of the city centre and is easily reached from frederics Serviced Apartments using public transport and is great for a nice long walk.

by Dietmar Stanka


Location:             U4 Prinzregentenplatz

Highlights:          Restaurant Käfer-Schänke - ...where FC Bayern parties...
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