Munich is always good for a surprise. Even after years or decades in the city, you keep stumbling upon places you didn’t know existed —even when they’re right under your nose. For example, the Rose Garden along the Isar is still considered an insider’s tip even among locals, and very few have ever visited the hermitage in the Olympic Park. Another example of such a hidden spot in the middle of a bustling area is the Kabinettsgarten at the Residenz. If you’re longing for a quiet green spot right in the heart of downtown, this is the perfect retreat for you.
The Secret Garden of the Residenz
The Residenz is one of Munich’s most famous landmarks, with countless passersby walking past it every day. Despite its fame, it still harbors many secrets that aren’t immediately apparent. While you discover Princess Adelheid’s hidden Heart Cabinet on a tour of the interior, you can enjoy the tranquility outside in the Kabinettsgarten. The garden was created in the 19th century between the Cuvilliés Theater and the Allerheiligen Hofskirche and was bordered on the east by a wall facing Marstallplatz. There is a narrow opening in this wall through which you can still enter the garden today.
Once you’ve spotted this opening and stepped through it, a 1,000 m² garden spreads out before you, featuring green space and a fountain at its center. Four linden trees and an arbor complete the picture. But over time, no one tended to the Kabinettsgarten anymore, and it fell into disrepair. Soon enough, people began using it as a vegetable garden and a chicken coop. In 2002, the Ministry of Finance finally decided to restore the garden to its former glory and have it renovated. Peter Kluska designed the current layout, which was completed in 2003 and opened to the public. Since then, the Kabinettsgarten has been a hidden gem in the heart of Munich—one that even many locals don’t know about.
The Kabinettsgarten: An Oasis of Tranquility
Anyone looking for a green spot in downtown Munich will quickly find themselves in the Residenz’s Hofgarten. The Kabinettsgarten, on the other hand, gets little attention, which makes it the perfect spot to find some peace and quiet. The opening in the wall still exists and is now a small gate. In addition, there’s now an open staircase leading from inside the Residenz to the courtyard. You can access it from the church, the theater, or the Brunnenhof. So if you’re attending this year’s Open-Air Sommer, you can combine your visit there with a detour to the Kabinettsgarten.
There’s still a fountain here today, which you can reach via a path lined by two water basins. Trees provide shade, and the rose bushes bloom beautifully in June and July. There are benches everywhere where you can sit down and soak up the relaxed atmosphere. If there’s no room in the Hofgarten again and it’s too hectic in front of the National Theater, then come to the Kabinettsgarten and unwind for a moment.
