Englischer Garten

Englischer Garten Munich: The Grand Garden of Germany

The Englischer Garten, Munich is among the largest urbanised parks in the whole world. over the many years, this park has undergone several changes with the newer addition of buildings, and changes in parks layout and other green spaces. The Englischer Garten occupies a total area of 375 hectares in the northeastern section of Germany. It is located towards the western banks of the river Isar.

It holds a significant a significant position within Germanic historicity and is also the largest park of its kind which is open to the general public along with being the largest urban park in the whole world. Englischer Garten Munich has over the years attained the status of being an important tourist spot along with a popular hangout zone for the localities. It was formed initially in an informal way, tracing on the popular styles of Britain back in the mid-18th and early 19th centuries. It was designed by a certain Lancelot Brown who was an important landscape architect from Britain and was also otherwise known as Capability Brown. His nickname was such because he was often observed saying to his clients that all of their properties had the capability of improvement.

Historical Background

The events leading up to the Englischer Garten can be traced with the life of the  Elector of Bavaria Maximilian III Joseph. He was the last ruler hailing from the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty. Upon his death in the year 1777 without a child, all of his possessions and properties went to the Electorate of the Palatinate archduke and elector Carl Theodor. Carl Theodor is said to have been trying to trade rather unsuccessfully, his inheritances of Bavaria which included his home on the Rhine in Mannheim with the Austrian Netherlands. Majorly due to this reason the population residing in Munich corresponded with the same dislike as Theodor had for them. In the same context, Carl Theodor then to overturn the unfortunate atmosphere began working towards the improvement of the city. His further undertakings included an art gallery in the northern arcades of the Residence’s Hofgarten or Court Garden. He then went on to make both, the art gallery and the garden open for public.

Moreover, at that time in the 1780’s the Hofgarten was the only such park in Munich which was open to the public, but it is also suggested that it was not the primary source of motivation which led to the creation of the Englischer Garten. On the contrary and rather strangely it was a result of a series of military reforms which were conducted under the guidance of Sir Benjamin Thompson. Thompson was born in Massachusetts and in the latter part of his life, he had also served on the Loyalist side of the American Revolutionary War. In the year 1788, Thompson made a proposition, suggesting that during the time of peace the soldiers should be given leave so that they can undertake civilian works such as farming and gardening. After the English were defeated, he first went to England and then in 1784 entered the service of Carl Theodor. Furthermore, in the year 1789, Carl Theodor went on to proclaim that within each of the garrison cities there should be constructed military gardens. This would then allow the soldiers to gain substantial knowledge pertaining to agriculture and then these developed blocks could also serve as recreational areas which can also be accessible to the general civilian population.

As per the plans which were formulated in response to the Elector’s decree, the location for a garden in Munich was set to be in the northern quadrant of the Schwabinger city gate which was initially the hunting ground of the rulers of Wittelsbach family since the Middle Ages. It was then known as the Hirschanger or the deer enclosure. Then further acquisitions were made of higher lands which were closer to the city. Later on, the densely wooded areas on the south which were known as Hirschangerwald were also included. Whole of this region was prone to frequent flooding due to the river Isar. The flooding problems were resolved in the year 1790 when river walls were constructed. These walls later came to known as Riedl-Damm after the engineer who constructed them – Anton von Riedl.

When all these additional factors were satisfied the construction of the military garden finally began in July 1789. The initial plans soon veered towards formally developing a certain section of the land as a public park and the other remaining section was to remain under the military garden project. The Hirschanger, Carl Theodor on the 13th of August 1789 decreed was to be turned towards the amusement of the people of Munich. Furthermore, Friedrich Ludwig Sckell von Sckell, the Royal Gardener was hired as an advisor for this project. Friedrich Ludwig Sckell an erudite scholar had studied landscape gardening in England and also had on a previous occasion worked for Carl Theodor at Schwetzingen. Many associated projects such as a veterinary school, farming schools and cattle farms among others were started. However, most of these projects could not survive long enough.

When the park was approaching its completion it was named as the Theodor Park but that was never formalised and as a result, its descriptive name caught on. It thus became the Englischer Garten Munich when it was officially inaugurated in the year 1792. It is said that about 40,000 citizens of Munich had flocked together to witness the opening of the grand garden of Germany.

When Thompson left Munich in 1798 his post was taken over by Baron von Werneck who focused on making the garden pay for itself through agricultural production. For this very purpose, the park was further expanded to include Hirschau in 1799. This new area was further developed for pasture purposes. The very next year in 1800, the military gardens were clubbed together and then added to the Englischer Garten.

It was later realised that all the developmental initiatives undertaken by Werneck had costed a great deal of money and hence he was replaced by Sckell in 1804. He then went on to develop the landscape of the garden and not focus on agriculture. Between the year 1814 and 1815, an artificial waterfall was created and the Schwabingerbach or the Schwabing stream was removed. The park went on to take the modern appearances which were made more significant with the addition of hills which were designed by Carl August Sckell, his nephew. Carl August Sckell also went on to succeed him as the chief director of the park.

By the time 20th century arrived significant additions were made in terms of 20 hectares of land upon which Joseph Anton von Maffei’s locomotive factory stands today. In the latter half of the 1950’s further acquisition of land were made. The park also featured as a sports ground where archery range was established during the 1972 Summer Olympics. The 200th anniversary of the park was celebrated in 1989 and 1990. During this time 1500 new trees were planted.

The sights and attractions of the Englischer Garten Munich

• Japanisches Teehaus: The Japanese Teahouse and the Japanese Garden were created in April 1972 following the preparations of the Summer Olympics which were held in Munich that year. They were constructed on a small island which is located further in the southern end of the Englischer Garten right behind the Haus der Kunst. The said island is situated in a pond which was created only a few years earlier in 1969. Soshitsu Sen, the head of the Urasenke Tea School in Kyoto had gifted the teahouse to the Bavarian government as a friendly gesture. The teahouse specifically was designed by Soshitsu Sen and Mitsuo Nomura and it is also famous for a tea ceremony which takes place there on a regular basis.

• Schönfeldwiese and surroundings: The Schönfeldwiese Schönfeld meadow is located in-between the Monopteros and the Japanisches Teehaus. In these parts of the garden nude sunbathing has been permitted since the 1960’s. Furthermore, this event was quite sensational and also resulted in the further popularity of the garden everywhere in the world.

• Surfing: A water pumping mechanism was established in one of the artificial streams which flow through the Englischer Garten. One can find many suffers who take turns for entering the waters along with their surfboards. Authorities of the garden only permit professionally trained surfers to surf in the waters.

• Monopteros: It was Sckell’s idea to create a temple over a hilltop. This temple was constructed in stone and was designed similar to the wooden Apollo Temple which was located nearby and had fallen into disrepair. This new temple was designed by Leo von Klenze and was built on 15 metres high platform around which the hill was setup in the year 1832. The total height of the temple was 16 metres and was constructed by utilising the remaining construction material from Munich Residenz or the Royal Residence. The temple reached its completion in the year 1836. Its iconic columns were retrofitted so that they could take the weight of the copper covered dome.

• Steinerne Bank: Prior to the construction of the Monopteros there existed a circular temple by the Eisbach which was much smaller in size. It was located towards the southern side of the Chinesischer Turm and was designed by Johann Baptist Lechner. It is this temple which was known as the Apollo Temple and was named so because of the statue of Josef Nepomuk Muxel which was placed there in 1791. The base of the temple was made out of Tuff which is a kind of rock made out of volcanic ash however the entire temple was made out of wood. Furthermore, towards the early parts of the 18th century the temple was in a ruinous state because of disrepair. Leo von Klenze in 1838 went on to build a stone bench or an exedra as it was termed in the place where the temple was located. This stone bench carries an inscription which reads as: Hier wo Ihr wallet, da war sonst Wald nur und Sumpf, this translates as – Here where you meander was once only wood and marsh.

• Chinesischer Turm: The Chinese Tower was constructed between 1789 and 1790. It measures a height of 25 metres and is in its entirety a wooden framed structure. It was designed by Joseph Frey, the Mannheim based military architect. The designs of the Chinese Tower were borrowed from the Great Pagoda which is located in the Royal Botanic Gardens in London. The tower in Munich composures of five stories of which the lowermost floor has a 19-metre diameter and its topmost storey is 6 metres in diameter. During the bombings of the Second World War in 1944, the originally designed tower was burned town but it was then rebuilt in 1951.

• Rumford-Saal: Built in the year 1791 the Rumford-Saal or the Rumford Hall or Rumfordhaus or Rumford House is located towards the north of the Chinesischer Turm. It was designed encompassing the Palladian style and while it was being constructed it was popularised by the names of großer Saal or the Great Hall or Militairsaal or the Military Hall. Later on when the hall was being inaugurated it was named after the founder of the garden – Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford. The building measures 30 metres in length and its width is of 10 metres and comprises of one and a half storeys along with the six iconic pillars. A fascinating feature of this building is the dining hall which has mirrors all-over and therefore carries the name – Spiegelsaal or the mirror room. This room has the capacity to house over 150 individuals and is currently used by the city in the form of a children’s centre.

• Kleinhesseloher See: The Kleinhesseloher Lake was created in response to the directions given by Werneck at around the year 1800. It was meant to be located between the districts of Schwabing and Kleinhesselohe. The lake had been a part of the initial designs of the park and was meant to form the northern limits of the garden. It was also meant to house a watch-house along with a gate. Around the same time, the warden of the park had to establish a makeshift beer shop for the workers who were employed in the park. In the due course, this improvised establishment grew and began serving milk along with cold meals. Thus it became one of the favourites for the local people.

• Between the years 1807 and 1812, the park was expanded to its current proportions by Sckell. The lake is constantly replenished by the flow of water from the Eisbach. The current size of the lake enabled construction of three islands within its confines – Königsinsel or the King’s Island, Kurfürsteninsel or the Elector’s Island and the Regenteninsel or the Regent’s Island.

• Hirschau: The Isarring road seperates the Englischer Garten into two parts. Its southern part is about 2 kilometres in length while the northern part, the 3-kilometre long section is called the Hirschau. This section of the park lays in diametric opposition to its southern counterpart. While one can engage in different kinds of sporting activities in the south due to the abundant grass and open expanses, in Hirschau there are only meadows where one can only grow and mown hay during the months of June and August. An amphitheatre was built in this part of the garden in 1985.

Records show that annually over 5 million people come to visit the Englischer Garten Munich. The authorities are quite strict when it comes to garbage dumping, therefore one can find numerous dumps in and around the garden.