Located about a mile North of the Marienplatz, the English Gardens are Munich’s version of New York’s Central Park. Plush with green pastures as far as you can see, the gardens are also home to Munich’s famous river surfers.
A park for the people, the English Gardens is a Munich gem and part of our popular bike tour. You could spend an entire day taking in the incredible peacefulness and beauty.
The English Gardens dates back to 1789 when an Englishman named Benjamin Thompson suggested that the land, which was previously used as a private hunting ground, be used as a military garden. Later that year, the French Revolution broke out in July, which triggered a threat to similar peasant uprisings throughout Europe. Hoping to win over the people of Munich, Bavarian ruler Karl Theodor scrapped the plans of a military garden in favor of a public park. By 1792, the park was made available to the 40,000 residents of Munich.
