Munich, Bavaria – Lindwurmstrasse, a central artery stretching from Sendlinger-Tor-Platz to Sendling, is currently experiencing a historic transformation. Once dominated by heavy car traffic, the street is gradually being reshaped into a modern boulevard, prioritizing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
A Street Named After a Doctor, Not a Dragon
The street’s current name, established on January 1, 1878, honors Dr. Joseph von Lindwurm (1824-1874), a renowned dermatologist and university professor who served as the long-time director of the General Hospital on the left bank of the Isar. Previously, it was known by names such as “Sendlinger Landstrasse,” “Äußere Sendlingerstrasse,” or “Sendlingerhauptstrasse.”
Despite its medical namesake, the street’s name also evokes associations with an ancient Munich folk tale. Legend has it that in the early Middle Ages, a massive, black-green ‘Lindwurm’ (dragon) terrorized the city, bringing the plague with its poisonous breath. The danger was only averted when brave citizens brought down the monster with cannons, leading to the tradition of the Schäffler and Metzger (coopers and butchers) dancing through the streets to entice frightened residents out of their homes – a tradition deeply rooted in Munich’s urban culture to this day.
A Dark Chapter in the Nazi Era and Technical Milestones
Lindwurmstrasse also reflects the turbulent history of the 20th century. A particularly tragic chapter is hidden behind house number 127 (formerly 125). In 1885, the Einstein family founded an electrotechnical factory in the rear building, which was liquidated in 1894. Later, a cigarette factory moved in, whose Jewish founder, Max Abeles, died in the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1942.
From 1938, the factory building served as emergency accommodation for the Jewish community after the National Socialists demolished the synagogue on Herzog-Max-Strasse. From this location, more than 40 people were directly deported to extermination camps. Today, a branch of the Munich Adult Education Centre is located there. Nazi crimes also occurred at the nearby Stielerschule: from July 1944, a bomb disposal commando of Dachau concentration camp prisoners was stationed in its gymnasium, where up to 15 men died daily during their dangerous work.
Simultaneously, the street was a site of technical pioneering achievements. As early as May 22, 1938, the first pile was driven under Lindwurmstrasse for the construction of the Munich subway. During World War II, the unfinished Goetheplatz subway station served as an air-raid shelter, and in the post-war period, the damp tunnel was briefly repurposed for mushroom cultivation before being filled with rubble and only reopened in 1965 for modern subway construction.
Architecture Along Lindwurmstrasse
Architecturally, historical buildings such as the Women’s Clinic (Nr. 2), the Hauner Children’s Hospital (Nr. 4), and the Art Nouveau Lindwurmhof (Nr. 88) stand out along the street. Another landmark near the street is Goetheplatz with its distinctive Post Office facade, designed in the 1920s by Robert Vorhoelzer in the New Objectivity style.
The Bottleneck: Railway Bridge Undergoing Major Renovation
A central element of Lindwurmstrasse is the striking railway overpass, originally built around 1900 and extended in 1910/1911. With its listed Art Nouveau bridge railing, featuring floral patterns, small snakes, and a Lindwurm, it is one of the last testimonies to the golden age of railways in Munich.
As the bridge reached the end of its lifespan after more than 120 years, Deutsche Bahn began a comprehensive renovation project in March 2024. While the new bridge was scheduled for commissioning in December 2025, subsequent work in the road area is expected to continue until 2028. The historic railing was dismantled in advance for restoration and will be reinstalled later.
A crucial advantage of the new construction: by installing a waterproof groundwater tank, the roadway can be lowered, optimizing the clearance height and significantly improving traffic safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
The New Era: From Traffic Network to Boulevard
Lindwurmstrasse is currently undergoing a comprehensive traffic policy redesign as part of Munich’s “Radentscheid” (cycling referendum). The approximately 2.3-kilometer stretch is used daily by 12,000 to 24,000 motor vehicles, while bicycle traffic has increased by around 70 percent in ten years and car traffic has decreased by 35 percent. The historically narrow sidewalks and cycle paths increasingly led to conflicts.
The city council approved an adapted plan on October 2, 2024, to alleviate the situation. The concept envisages creating new, wider cycle paths on the areas of the former parking spaces between the rows of trees of the historic poplar avenue. The remaining parking spaces will be moved to the former outer lane.
The first of three construction phases between Sendlinger-Tor-Platz and Goetheplatz was successfully completed in September 2025 – just in time for the start of Oktoberfest. Cyclists now use a up to three-meter-wide, bollard-protected cycle lane (“Protected Bike Lane”) on the roadway. Pedestrians benefit from widened sidewalks of up to 3.50 meters.
What’s Next?
The redesign of Lindwurmstrasse is a long-term project. Following the successful completion of the first section, the more complex construction phases from Goetheplatz to the railway bridge and from the bridge to Aberlestrasse are next. These sections will receive structurally protected cycle paths, permanently separated from car traffic by a raised curb. Implementation will take place gradually and in parallel with ongoing renovation measures by Stadtwerke München at the Goetheplatz and Poccistrasse subway stations.
Source: Stadtgeschichte München, LHM, Mobilitätsreferat München, Deutsche Bahn
