English Garden
Ideal: Ideal for nature, walking, local life, and a relaxed travel pace.
Laid out as a public park in 1789, it covers 375 hectares — larger than New York's Central Park. Surfers have ridden the standing wave in the Eisbach canal at the park's southern entrance since the 1970s; it was illegal for a long time until the city officially permitted it in 2010, and surfers queue even in winter. The beer garden around the Chinese Tower dates from 1790 and seats nearly 7,000. Seeing people stretched out on the grass in swimwear in summer is normal Munich life.
Quick facts
- Built
- 1789
- Opened
- 1792
- Architect
- Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell
- Area
- 375 hectares
- Heritage status
- architectural heritage monument in Bavaria
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Did you know?
How is there river surfing in the middle of the city?
At the park's southern entrance, submerged obstacles in the Eisbach stream create a permanent standing wave. Surfers have ridden it year-round since the 1970s, even in winter, and it has been officially permitted since 2010.
Is the park bigger than New York's Central Park?
Yes. At roughly 375 hectares it is larger than Central Park (341 ha) and than London's Hyde Park, making it one of Europe's largest urban parks.
Why is there a Chinese pagoda in the middle of the park?
The Chinesischer Turm was built in wood in 1790 during Europe's craze for Chinese design. It burned down in a 1944 air raid and was rebuilt to the original plans in 1952; Munich's second-largest beer garden sits beneath it.
Why go?
- To breathe in one of Munich's largest city parks
- To watch Eisbach surfers and enjoy a different city experience
- To feel local atmosphere through beer gardens and walking paths
Travel tip
Especially pleasant in good weather; a good stop to slow the pace after Marienplatz.
