If you don’t live in Haidhausen, you probably only rarely come here, for example to visit the Auer Dult or see the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Lichtspiele museum. The charming district east of the Isar has so much more to offer that it is well worth a detour. These include the former hostel buildings along Preysingstrasse, which tell a special piece of the city’s history.
The old Haidhausen
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Haidhausen did not yet belong to the city of Munich, but was a suburb whose residents commuted to work in the city. This is why there used to be many small houses and hostels here, which only had one or two floors and were mostly made of wood or stone. The hostels were rented by day laborers or travelers who only worked in Munich for a short time before moving on.
During the Second World War, large parts of Haidhausen were destroyed, including some of the stone and wooden huts. Others survived the war, but had to make way for larger apartment buildings. What remains are the Üblacker Häusl and the Kriechbaumhof in Preysingstraße, which still give you a glimpse of old Haidhausen.
The Üblacker Häusl
The small stone house was built at the end of the 18th century as a hostel and was owned by Johann Üblacker from 1894. The house owes its current name to the coal merchant. Around 70 years later, the city of Munich acquired it , actually with the aim of having it demolished, but the Au-Haidhausen district committee managed to prevent this. After the building was extensively renovated in the 1970s, it was opened as a museum in 1980.
There is still an apartment on the upper floor of the Üblacker Häusl today. In contrast, two rooms on the first floor have been converted into a museum that recreates the life of the day laborers. There are also temporary exhibitions in the former goat shed where you can view art. True to the motto “Art meets history”, the Üblacker Häusl is a unique cultural venue.
📍 Location: Preysingstraße 58, 81667 Munich
🕐 Opening hours: Wednesday & Thursday 5 to 7 pm, Friday & Sunday 10 am to 12 noon
💶 Price information: Admission free
The Kriechbaumhof
The Kriechbaumhof is the older of the two buildings and dates back to the 17th century. The wooden building served as a hostel for day laborers and actually stood in Wolfgangstraße. However, the house had to be demolished due to dilapidation. The individual parts were stored and the house was rebuilt in 1985 at Preysingstraße 71. The faithful reconstruction cost an impressive 1.1 million Deutschmarks. It was inhabited until the 1970s before it was dismantled. Today, the house belongs to the German Alpine Club, which uses it as a clubhouse for its young members.
So if you want to go on a little journey through time, take a walk through Haidhausen. If you keep your eyes open, you can discover some historical treasures and if you get the chance, you can stop off at the Üblacker Häusl.