Munich is generally regarded as a beautiful city, but there are also some less appreciated corners. One such corner is the southern station district, where social problems meet cultural institutions. Here, hotel follows hotel, but also arcade follows arcade. The neighborhood is well frequented, but not necessarily popular, as it is often the subject of negative news. The station district is polarizing, and not just because of its facilities. A new image is needed, and in addition to structural changes, this also includes a new name: Welcome to Central Quartier!
New year, new name?
The “Zukunft Bahnhofviertel” initiative launched a call months ago to find a new name for the neighborhood. There were over 600 submissions in the course of this competition. From Monaco Nova to Mosaikviertel and Wiesnviertel, there were all kinds of creative suggestions. The initiative has now announced the winner and invited them to the Deutsches Theater. The choice fell on “Central Quartier”.
“Central” because of its central location, of course, but also because of Munich Central Station, as the main railway station was once called. This was inaugurated in 1849 after the previous station burned down in 1847. “Quartier” in turn refers to the manageability of the area, which corresponds better to today’s neighborhood identification spaces.
A neighborhood in transition
However, a new name alone does not make a new neighborhood. On the one hand, it remains questionable to what extent Munich residents will even accept and use it. On the other hand, the district itself must change, which also means continuing to address the current problems. The new buildings and conversions are also part of the change that the district is currently undergoing.
Munich Central Station has been undergoing renovation for some time now. 450,000 people use it every day; ten times as many as live in the district. Once the second main line is completed, this figure is set to almost double. The Hackerbrücke is also to be renovated by 2030 and can then remain car-free.
In addition, 250,000 square meters of new office space is currently being built. This should also make the Central Quartier more attractive for companies. The “Zukunft Bahnhof” initiative, which emerged from a TUM research project, sees great potential in the neighborhood, which is now reflected in its new name. It remains exciting to see how things will continue with the Central Quartier in Munich.