Fancy a mysterious place that hides traces of the past? There are many lost places around Munich for you to discover. But one of them stands out and is right on your doorstep: The Hachinger Tal Landscape Park is a special kind of lost place. Although the park is not unknown, its historical relics are rather hidden and have to be discovered for yourself.
If you want to discover traces of the past here, you have to wander through the greenery. There are no dilapidated houses here, instead you will come across an open landscape that has a few secrets to offer. If you keep your eyes open, you can discover traces of the past on your own.
From a secret military site to an open recreational area
At around 126 hectares, it is one of the largest parks in the south of Munich. What many walkers, cyclists and families now appreciate as a local recreation area was a restricted military area for decades: the site was home to Neubiberg Air Base, an airfield with a varied – and historic – history.
Construction began in 1933, initially for civilian purposes, but the airfield was soon used for military purposes. During the Second World War, Luftwaffe fighter planes took off from here. After the war, the US Air Force took over the site, which was later used by the German Armed Forces as a location for the Air Force Officers’ School and the University of the German Armed Forces. It was not until 1997 that flight operations finally came to an end and the site was gradually transformed into a landscaped park.
A green park with many secrets
Anyone strolling through the park today will come across numerous relics from its time as an airfield, including the former runway. The concrete runway is around two kilometers long and 35 meters wide and cuts through the park like a swath. Today it serves as an unusual path for skaters, cyclists and walkers – but its dimensions are still a reminder of the past.
In between, rusty rails and switches from the abandoned railroad tracks appear again and again in the greenery. And in several places you can find old bunkers and underground fuel tanks from the Second World War. They are usually closed, but visible from the outside and give the park its mysterious atmosphere.
Today, nature has reclaimed large parts of the site. The landscape park thus provides a habitat for rare animals and plants and creates a fascinating mix of wilderness and history. For urban explorers, history buffs and nature lovers, this special kind of lost place is a real insider tip – right on the outskirts of Munich.