“Where Munich is truly a world city,” legendary reporter Karl Stankiewitz once titled his book about the Bahnhofsviertel. Even though that book is now ten years old, the area around the main train station – between Sonnenstrasse, Pettenkoferstrasse, and Bavariaring – remains louder, more diverse, more colorful, and also grittier than anywhere else in Munich. Many would say it’s more urban.
The Allure of Urban Transformation in Munich’s Priciest District
Such a dynamic environment naturally attracts attention in the most expensive city in Germany. Across the district, amidst döner shops, import-export businesses, and arcades, an increasing number of luxury real estate projects have sprung up in recent years. These are often large office developments with fanciful names like The Verse (formerly the Postbank building at Bayer-, Paul-Heyse-, and Schwanthalerstrasse) or The Stack (Landwehrstrasse). There are also chic residential buildings – often offering furnished temporary accommodation at particularly high prices – named Theatersuiten (Schwanthalerstrasse) or simply Paul7 (St.-Paul-Strasse). Even the peripheral areas of the Bahnhofsviertel are sometimes rebranded, for instance, as the “Wiesnviertel.”
“The Bahnhofsviertel is Better Than Its Reputation”
However, such re-branding might not even be necessary, because “the Bahnhofsviertel is better than its reputation,” according to local district committee chairman Benoît Blaser (Greens). He has been a member of the district committee since 2014 and its chairman since 2020. Blaser describes the Bahnhofsviertel as “an exciting district” and one that is constantly changing. However, this change is “a tightrope walk,” he notes.
Blaser himself enjoys spending time in the district, buying baklava and flatbread fresh from the oven at street stalls. He also feels safe walking home at night, though he acknowledges, “I realize that as a man, I might have an easier time, and women might feel differently.” Safety is naturally one of the key issues in the Bahnhofsviertel and always “a question of perceived safety,” Blaser adds.
Addressing Displacement and Enhancing Public Safety
Recently, there have been displacement effects from the Old Botanical Garden into the southern Bahnhofsviertel. However, Blaser believes the police have this well under control with their new video surveillance. He points out that there are many social institutions in the district doing excellent and important work, which means homeless people and those with addictions are simply more visible here than elsewhere. “According to police figures, the security situation in the Bahnhofsviertel has improved, and crime has decreased,” Blaser states.
Other issues that particularly concern the district committee in the Bahnhofsviertel are traffic and the question of urban greenery. “We have been trying for years to create more green spaces,” says Blaser. Especially around major thoroughfares like Schwanthalerstrasse, the district is heavily sealed, with little greenery. “This increasingly leads to significant heat build-up there.”
And traffic? “We have a lot of traffic of all kinds,” Blaser explains. To address this challenge, innovative approaches are being tried. “At the intersection of Goethestraße and Landwehrstraße, we have implemented a ‘Shibuya-style’ traffic light system.” Following the model of the famous Tokyo intersection, pedestrians in all directions get a green light simultaneously, though only every second light cycle, the committee chairman clarifies.
The Real Estate Boom: A Double-Edged Sword
However, the most defining factor for the district’s development, typical of Munich, is real estate. Whether offices or apartments, the Bahnhofsviertel benefits from its central location, according to Blaser. “After Corona, companies want to get people back into offices, so they have to offer something, and the central location helps. Companies are investing here.”
The numerous vacant construction sites, such as the former Karstadt, the empty Kaufhof, or the excavation pit of the demolished parking garage on Adolf-Kolping-Strasse, are a source of frustration. In terms of housing, unfortunately, many so-called boarding houses are being created. “This development needs to be monitored,” says the district committee chairman. “We would, of course, prefer more normal, affordable housing.” However, the city’s influence is limited, as the area is not a conservation zone, and there are hardly any opportunities to intervene in commercial developments.
Balancing Gentrification with Community Preservation
Benoît Blaser is realistic: an upgrade towards a more expensive area “is happening in the Bahnhofsviertel, just as it is known from other parts of the city,” he says. And not everything about it is bad. “For my part, there could be fewer betting shops, for example,” Blaser states. “New audiences, new gastronomy” could also “bring a kind of social control with it.” However, he emphasizes that it must not lead to displacement. “Many people have lived here for decades and generations, building their livelihoods. Especially many with a migration background,” Blaser explains. “The many small shops for international customers and those with small budgets – that must be preserved.”
Blaser quotes the chairman of the Southern Bahnhofsviertel association, who once said, “the district is a district of opportunity” – “and I agree,” Blaser adds. “It would be a shame if cultural diversity suffered from the change. Then you quickly lose that very special mix. It’s a balancing act!”
Local Voices on the Bahnhofsviertel’s Evolution
An AZ survey reveals diverse perspectives:
- Turan Boztepe (60), Hotelier at Bayer’s: “The people in the Bahnhofsviertel seem happier than elsewhere. It has become more of a tourist area and a shopping center. I’ve been there for 40 years.”
- Ahmet Özdemir (40), Sultan Restaurant Manager: “I am confident about the Bahnhofsviertel. I’ve been in this area for over 25 years. My only request is that it moves forward even faster.”
- Karim Qais (27), Restaurant Unic-Fresh Chef: “I like everything about the Bahnhofsviertel. There are some new buildings. I’ve been in the area for two years.”
Source: https://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de/muenchen/neues-publikum-neue-gastronomie-diese-muenchner-viertel-veraendert-sich-wie-kein-anderes-art-1101197
