Fuhrerbau (Leader's Building), Munich
Tucked into Munich鈥檚 cityscape, the so-called Leader鈥檚 Building is one of the most historically loaded structures left from the Nazi era. Built between 1933 and 1937, it housed Adolf Hitler鈥檚 Munich office and served as a key administrative hub for the regime.
The architecture is textbook Third Reich: neoclassical, rigidly symmetrical, and designed to impress. Long colonnades, marble interiors, and an air of permanence were meant to radiate power. The building was part of Hitler鈥檚 broader plan to reshape Munich into the 鈥淐apital of the Movement,鈥� marking the city鈥檚 role as the cradle of the Nazi Party.
But what seared this spot into history books was the 1938 Munich Agreement. On September 29th, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Premier 脡douard Daladier, Italy鈥檚 Benito Mussolini, and Hitler gathered here to sign a deal that allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain famously returned home proclaiming 鈥減eace for our time鈥濃�攚ords that would soon be haunted by war.
During WWII, the building continued to host official functions. After 1945, the U.S. military took over, transforming the building into the Central Art Collecting Point, where stolen artworks were gathered, catalogued, and eventually returned to their rightful owners. Later, the space was given a new role as home to the University of Music and Performing Arts, which still uses it today.
Though not open to the public, Hitler鈥檚 office still exists behind its original oak door鈥攆rozen in time. The building now sits at a strange crossroads: once a symbol of authoritarian power, now reimagined as a place for education and artistic creation.
The architecture is textbook Third Reich: neoclassical, rigidly symmetrical, and designed to impress. Long colonnades, marble interiors, and an air of permanence were meant to radiate power. The building was part of Hitler鈥檚 broader plan to reshape Munich into the 鈥淐apital of the Movement,鈥� marking the city鈥檚 role as the cradle of the Nazi Party.
But what seared this spot into history books was the 1938 Munich Agreement. On September 29th, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Premier 脡douard Daladier, Italy鈥檚 Benito Mussolini, and Hitler gathered here to sign a deal that allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain famously returned home proclaiming 鈥減eace for our time鈥濃�攚ords that would soon be haunted by war.
During WWII, the building continued to host official functions. After 1945, the U.S. military took over, transforming the building into the Central Art Collecting Point, where stolen artworks were gathered, catalogued, and eventually returned to their rightful owners. Later, the space was given a new role as home to the University of Music and Performing Arts, which still uses it today.
Though not open to the public, Hitler鈥檚 office still exists behind its original oak door鈥攆rozen in time. The building now sits at a strange crossroads: once a symbol of authoritarian power, now reimagined as a place for education and artistic creation.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Munich. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Fuhrerbau (Leader's Building) on Map
Sight Name: Fuhrerbau (Leader's Building)
Sight Location: Munich, Germany (See walking tours in Munich)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Munich, Germany (See walking tours in Munich)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Munich, Germany
Create Your Own Walk in Munich
Creating your own self-guided walk in Munich is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Munich Introduction Walking Tour
Set along the banks of the River Isar, just north of the Bavarian Alps, Munich is a city steeped in history, where centuries-old buildings meet a rich array of cultural landmarks and modern-day energy.
The first recorded mention dates back to 1158. The name is believed to come from the Old and Middle High German word 鈥渕unichen鈥�, meaning 鈥渂y the monks.鈥� It refers to the Benedictine monks... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
The first recorded mention dates back to 1158. The name is believed to come from the Old and Middle High German word 鈥渕unichen鈥�, meaning 鈥渂y the monks.鈥� It refers to the Benedictine monks... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Third Reich Munich Walking Tour
In the early decades of the 20th century, Munich became the birthplace of one of history鈥檚 darkest political movements. Long before the world knew what was coming, Bavaria鈥檚 capital had already laid the groundwork for the rise of the National Socialist German Workers' Party鈥攂etter known as the Nazi Party.
From 1933 to 1945, the Third Reich took hold of Germany under Adolf Hitler鈥檚... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
From 1933 to 1945, the Third Reich took hold of Germany under Adolf Hitler鈥檚... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour
Munich鈥檚 Old Town, known as the Altstadt, unfolds across the western bank of the River Isar鈥攁 captivating blend of medieval charm, architectural brilliance, and deep cultural roots. As the historic heart of the Bavarian capital, it鈥檚 more than just a preserved district鈥攊t is is listed as a historical monument and is a living museum 鈥� 鈥渨here the past harmonizes with the present in a... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Old Town Souvenir Shops
"Collect moments, not things," wise men say. In reference to travel, this may be interpreted as the prevalence of experiences and memories over material gains. Still, when it comes to travel mementos, albeit material they are, memories and experiences are primarily what these little (or not so little) tokens are all about.
And it would be a pity to leave Munich without bringing home... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
And it would be a pity to leave Munich without bringing home... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
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