Maritime atmosphere in Munich? Yes, you heard right. A ship has anchored in the middle of Munich! We are of course talking about the decommissioned passenger ship “Alte Utting”. In Sendling, the 144-tonne steamer sits enthroned in the middle of a disused railroad bridge and is now one of Munich’s most popular cultural centers and the perfect photo spot in the city. We present the most bizarre facts about our favorite “party boat”.
Once upon a time… a ship on the Ammersee
In fact, the “Alte Utting” once served as what it is: a ship. It was built in 1950 and named after the municipality of Utting am Ammersee. For many years, the ship operated on this lake as an excursion steamer for Bavarian shipping. It faithfully took vacationers across the blue waters in the summer months and showed them the most secret spots of Lake Ammersee.
After 66 years of service, that was the end of it. The “Alte Utting” was decommissioned in 2016 and replaced by a new motorboat from the Lux shipyard – that’s how quickly the old steamboat came to an end. The new motorboat even bears the name “Utting”. But there’s no need to be sad about the old steamer, because the “Alte Utting” has found a perfect new vocation: Today it serves as Munich’s most beautiful party boat on land.
The “Alte Utting”: a ship goes ashore
The Munich cultural association Wannda e.V. bought the “Alte Utting” in 2017. You may be familiar with this association, as it has already made a name for itself in the city with projects such as the Bahnwärter Thiel club and the Wannda Circus. The members rescued the steamer, had it dismantled into two parts and transported it across the highway to the heart of Munich in a spectacular night-time operation.
The party ship was extended and rebuilt over the course of a year and has been open daily since July 26, 2018. Here you can find almost everything you could wish for from a decommissioned ship. The “Alte Utting” is now a bar with a wooden terrace, a restaurant and a venue for a variety of concerts, poetry slams and children’s theater all in one. The deck offers a wildly romantic view over the tracks, the Grossmarkthalle and the Sendling district. And the Maschinenrausm even houses a club.
The lease for the site only runs until 2027, but the SPD city council faction has already spoken out in favor of its permanent preservation. The location is too popular. No wonder even the New York Times mentions “Alte Utting” in the same breath as Berlin’s nightlife! Try it out for yourself and experience what a boat trip in the middle of Munich feels like.