Anyone who has the feeling that the Isar metropolis consists only of clichéd chic and well-stocked beer gardens is doing Munich an injustice. After all, how could a city like this possibly have Thiel the train guard? One of the city’s most exciting cultural institutions has established itself on a former cattle yard site in the Schlachthofviertel. Time to take a closer look at this place, which is deliberately “different”.
From cattle yard to creative hotspot
There are many clubs in Munich. But Bahnwärter Thiel stands out – which gives food for thought, as Sportfreunde Stiller were formed in other discotheques in the city and the Scorpions were rejected at the door. But Bahnwärter Thiel perfectly describes what can happen when you rethink the old. In 2015, the operators created a post-industrial backdrop reminiscent of Berlin’s creative chaos.
There was actually once a cattle yard here. The site was then to be literally filled with more life, which from today’s perspective was definitely successful. Instead of constructing ordinary warehouses or buildings, the operators opted for a different approach. Bahnwärter Thiel consists of a bizarre mixture of old subway and streetcar carriages, stacked sea containers and the former Lenbachhaus pavilion.
So you won’t be dancing in the usual halls here, but in real Munich transportation. Can a location get any more unusual? Away from Munich’s established nightlife, this is a center for art, culture and music. Incidentally, the location is named after Gerhart Hauptmann’s novella of the same name.
Art, music and everything that goes with it
The program at Bahnwärter Thiel is as colourful as the container walls themselves. The location is primarily a popular club for electronic music. In competition with the Blitz Club, the Bahnwärter is not considered one of the best techno clubs in the city for nothing.
But you can also find all kinds of arts here: concerts, theater, comedy, poetry slamsand cinema screenings take place. Some of the containers are now studios, and regular flea markets invite you to browse and haggle. And it’s also worth a visit during Munich’s Christmas season: the “Mondscheinexpress” winter festival no longer even costs admission.
If this unusual and alternative concept reminds you of another project in Munich, you’re absolutely right: the crew behind Bahnwärter Thiel has also been running the Alte Utting party ship since 2018. Whether subway train carriages or passenger ships, there are some very unconventional places in Munich where it’s worth partying.