Obviously Englischer Garten is the central element of green lungs in Munich, yet there are smaller and larger park facilities which are also worth mentioning. Let's start with Hofgarten, whose small pavilion, the Diana-temple,hosts
dancing nights, with Tango- or Salsa performers choosing this romantic spot as the perfect meet up for their passion. Embedded between Residenz and Finanzgarten Hofgarten was designed in the tradition of Italian Renaissance gardens. While in the lower Hofgarten the former Armeemuseum and now the Bayerische Staatskanzlei have found their home, you can enjoy a feel of Vienna coffeehouse culture at Café Tambosi.

In hot summer nights some seek refreshment in the Wittelsbacher Brunnen at Maximiliansplatz. Having been an empty and dusty Dult-square from 1819 and therefore being called Munich Sahara, court gardener Karl von Effner took over the mandate to redesign the park in 1864.

Just around the corner, situated at a prominent spot in front of Hotel Bayerischer Hof, you find Promenadeplatz. With the tramway on the side this square offers space for beautiful linden trees and four monuments, which arededicated to Lorenz von Westenrieder, Christoph Willibald Ritter von Glück, Maximilian Emanuel Churfürst von Bayern and Roland de Lattre.

Greco-Roman is the style of Karolinenplatz and the adjacent, monumentally designed Königsplatz. The 29m high black obelisk at Karolinenplatz was createdby Leo von Klenze for 30.000 fallen Bavarian soldiers during Napoleon's Russia-campaign. Proplylaea, glypthothek and antique state collection as well as the Academy for Musik und Theater are the centres of Königsplatz. Even ifthe green spaces are rather small, this square represents an essential part of the city of Munich.

Lenbachhaus, across from the Bavarian stock market, is not only a gem of urbanistic mansion culture, but also has a wonderful garden. Inside art lovers find the Städtische Galerie (1904), showing a unique collection of the art group „Der Blaue Reiter“ among others.

The large meadows of the Alte and Neue Pinakothek are a popular meet-up for students of the close-by university in the warmer months. But also working people of the adjacent offices enjoy lunch time in the sun.

Gärtnerplatz Unfortunately, the Alte Botanische Garten is often ignored, since it is covered by buses on the one side and by Parkcafé on the other. Yet, this green space is a popular place of people living in the centre. Even only for its amazing theatre is worth mentioning: The green space is the centre of the roundabout and inspite of the street noise a meet up for the tough ones.

by Dietmar Stanka