If you are out and about in Haidhausen, you will inevitably pass this indoor swimming pool with its characteristic clock tower at some point. From the outside, the imposing Art Nouveau building is an absolute eye-catcher, but the interior of the pool is also impressive. But its appearance is not the only thing that makes this place special.
The oldest and most magnificent indoor swimming pool in Munich
The building was constructed to give the less well-off the opportunity to wash and bathe. After four years of construction, the baths celebrated their opening on May 1, 1901. At the time, it was the largest and most modern in Europe and is still one of the most beautiful on the continent today. The clock tower is particularly eye-catching, with a viewing platform at a height of 35 meters.
There are two pools inside, as there used to be a distinction between men and women. The larger 32-metre pool was reserved for men, while women had to make do with the smaller one, which is only 18 meters long. There is a Roman-Irish steam bath in the inner courtyard, which both sexes used at different times.
There used to be 86 individual bathtubs and 22 showers in the basement for personal washing, but these became obsolete with the spread of private showers and bathtubs in the apartments. There was also a dog bath here. This no longer exists, but over the years a Finnish sauna was added to the baths, as well as a cold and a warm pool.
The Müller’sche Volksbad combines influences from Roman thermal baths, Turkish hammams and Baroque buildings. The pools are spanned by impressive, richly decorated vaults and feature gargoyles. They are surrounded by galleries with ornate railings and the pools themselves are accessed via wide stone staircases. You will discover stucco and other decorative elements everywhere, making your bathing experience a dignified one. Incidentally, the Müller’sche Volksbad is named after Karl von Müller, who donated the money for its construction.
The Müller’sche Volksbad as a movie set
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzjzINhFuzE
Müller’sche Volksbad has already been featured in several films. The scenes in the changing rooms and corridors in the 1970 drama “Deep End” were filmed in Munich. As the swimming pool in the film is supposed to be rather run-down, whereas the Müller’sche Volksbad is very well-kept, it had to be touched up in post-production to achieve the right effect. Other scenes in the film were shot in the Bavaria Film Studios and in the English Garden.
The Italian horror film “Suspiria” from 1977 also chose Müller’s Volksbad as its setting. The film is actually set in Freiburg im Breisgau, but a large part of the scenes were shot in Munich, e.g. in the Hofbräuhaus, at the BMW high-rise and at Königsplatz with the Haus der Kunst. The film was a great success and grossed even more in Italy than “Jaws” and even Stephen King praised it.
Last but not least, Müller’sche Volksbad served as the backdrop for some scenes in the ARD series “Auf Achse”. If you would like to visit the indoor pool yourself, you can book your tickets online in advance. Here you can also see how full the pool and sauna are in real time. Day tickets for the indoor pool cost €5.80 or €4.60 for a maximum stay of 90 minutes. Every Tuesday is women’s pool day in the small hall. You can also sign up for various swimming and aqua fitness classes or treat yourself to a massage.
📍 Address: Rosenheimerstr. 1, 81667 Munich
🕐 Opening hours: daily 07:30 to 23:00
💶 Price information: Regular day ticket €5.80, reduced €4