There’s always something going on in Munich—from culture to gastronomy, there’s something for every taste. But some places have also fallen into oblivion. As cities develop and the needs of the population change, both public and private buildings are abandoned as soon as they lose their original purpose. These buildings are too expensive to maintain or demolish, and are therefore left to decay. All the better for those seeking an adventure. For this is how these fascinating lost places in Munich and the surrounding area came to be.
As these lost places begin to rot and are reclaimed by the wild, they also become attractions for“urban explorers” or“Urbexers.” More and more photography and adventure enthusiasts are setting out in search of a mysterious landscape. In doing so, certain rules must be followed—as obvious as they may sound:
Classic or cliché, depending on your taste. But of course, we couldn’t list lost places without at least mentioning the former Olympiastadion train station. Built in 1972 for the Olympic Games and decommissioned in 1988, it is now a listed building and serves as both a party hotspot for teenagers and the perfect photo backdrop for just about every urban photographer in the city.
St. Floriansmühle Outdoor Pool
From 1932 onward, Munich bathers basked in the sun here for more than 60 years before the outdoor pool was closed. Since then, the bathing facility has been an abandoned site, even serving as a filming location for the movie “The Neverending Story.” The city is considering reopening the outdoor pool—but until then, the site, with its rusting railings, is still worth a visit.
Wiedemann Sanatorium
The Wiedemann Sanatorium is also very popular among urban explorers—at least that’s what the local police’s many recent attempts to clear the site suggest. Until 2008, the clinic offered rejuvenation treatments for Munich’s upper class. Since its closure, failed projects to utilize the beautiful grounds on Lake Starnberg have piled up, and as long as none of them succeed, it will remain a haunted site.
Maxkron Pumping Station
Built in 1945 and operated by the German Federal Railways, the power plant supplied the surrounding villages with cold water for nearly 30 years. It has stood empty for much longer—almost 40 years—accumulating dust and graffiti. Nevertheless, it retains its original water tower, numerous machines, and its mysterious atmosphere.
The Olympic Games aren’t the only major event for which a train station was built specifically. For the 1983 International Garden Exhibition—to which we owe Westpark —the city also built a station that was never used again afterward. It was in operation for just a single summer and served as a station for special Deutsche Bahn trains that stopped in Munich solely for the IGA. The sign and the platform still exist, but have been left to decay, and the IGA Park stop is now considered one of Munich’s “lost places.”
Fasan II Explosives Factory
Near Augsburg lies the old explosives factory. Built in the 1930s, it was expanded shortly before the war to the point where it eventually produced the majority of the explosives used by the Wehrmacht. The U.S. Army put an end to it, although part of the old factory is still in operation today. In the other section, Fasan II, only the remains of buildings and a few spectacular views can still be seen.
Even though St. Ulrich Chapel is farther from Munich than any other place on this list, it’s truly worth a visit. For one thing, because it was already a “lost place” back when urban explorers were still Romantic artists. And for another, because of the legends that have contributed to its fame over its roughly 600-year history. There are tales of ghost sightings, black masses, and even creepier stories. Recommended only for the bravest.
Villa in Berg am Laim
On Neuburgerstraße in Laim, you can watch a once-beautiful villa fall into ruin. The massive house was built around 1904 by a piano maker, until the family of the current owners purchased the house in the 1920s. At some point, the villa is supposed to be renovated, but so far, all you can find here are crumbling walls and overgrown gardens.
Just 45 minutes from Munich lies this lost place, which is also the landmark of its market town. The Stockau Mill once belonged to a castle and remained standing even after the castle was demolished. First a paper mill, then a rye mill, it played a key role in the growth of industry in the municipality of Reichertshofen. It has been falling into disrepair since it was decommissioned in 1996. The investor who purchased it in 2013 briefly brought hope for the building, but has since gone bankrupt.
Despite new plans, the Siemens Tower remains a famous lost place with an uncertain future. The former corporate headquarters, built between 1961 and 1963, towers over the center of Munich. At 75 meters tall and 23 stories high, it was the city’s tallest office building at the time. Siemens vacated the building in 2006, and it has changed hands several times since. It has stood empty ever since, but now there are new plans to convert it into a hotel and boarding house. However, political opposition and historic preservation laws are complicating the project.