The fromer Broken Glass District was populated by ragmen, brick layers and day laborers. Harborages like the Üblacker-Häusl in Preysingstraße 58 (a museum nowadays) remind of the cramped living conditions. The more charming name French Quarter stems from the naming of the first streets which had been named after places of German battle victories during the French-German war (1870/71).

Day laborers found work at the local breweries back then. The latter have vanished, but a multitude of pubs has remained - allegedly there is one pub per 160 people. And those are the ones shaping the neighborhood's character.

In the 70's Haidhausen was considered as an economic basket case. The old buildings were renovated and the quarter turned into a trendy neighborhood. Chic boutiques, hip pubs, galleries and lifestyle shops settled here. A number
of backyard garages yet remained where there was enough space. Otherwise cafés moved in captivating now through their green ambiance. Still, Haidhausen wouldn't become a second Schwabing.

Haidhausen is the centre of Munich's music and culture life instead. Starting with the steep ascent (Gasteig) we find the Muffatwerk, once a power station, which today hosts modern concerts and panel discussions (www.muffathalle.de). Once having mastered the ascent on foot or by tram 18 you will see Gasteig, one of the city's most controversial cultural buildings. It is home to the public library, an adult education centre (VHS), the Richard-Strauss-academy of music and the philharmonics. In June the Munich Film Festival takes over Gasteig showing the latest movies for one week (www.filmfest-muenchen.de).

Theatre and cabaret fans appreciate traditional Drehleier ("hurdy-gurdy") on
Rosenheimer Strasse 123. Bigger events take place in the Georg Elser Hallen (www.georg-elser-hallen.com). For regular Jazz junctions you should check out Unions-Bräu-Haidhausen in Einsteinstraße 42. Beergarden lovers will enjoy Hofbräukeller at Wiener Platz where kids are taken care of and old chestnuts can be found. In summer beach feeling is celebrated at Sausalitos with its deck chairs and yummy cocktails. Next to ValentinKarlstadt-Theater, which shows plays by the two legendary Munich comedians, you will find Tanzcafé Maratonga (below the Hofbräukeller) inviting people young at heart - successfully.

by Karin Nagl



Location:              S1-8 Rosenheimer Platz

Highlights:            Lisboa Bar - Portugal in Munich
                             Breisacher Straße 22, 81667 München
                             Telephone 089 44 82 27 4, www.lisboa-bar.de