Karlsplatz (Karl's Square), Munich

In 1791, after the city鈥檚 old fortifications were demolished, a wide-open square was created on the western edge of Munich鈥檚 Old Town. Second only to Mary鈥檚 Square in size, it was officially named Karl鈥檚 Square in honor of the ruler鈥攁nd the nearby gate took on the name Karl鈥檚 Gate. Locals, meanwhile, had another name in mind for this space; they called it Stachus, a nickname that stuck and is still widely used today. The name comes from a popular inn that stood on the corner of the square since the 1750s.

More recently, in 1902, architect Gabriel von Seidl added two elegant wings to the Karl's Gate, known as the Rondel Buildings. These Neo-Baroque structures feature two prominent towers and ground-floor arcades lined with shops鈥攁n early nod to the area鈥檚 commercial appeal.

Fast forward to the 1970s, and you鈥檒l find a large circular fountain, now a favorite meeting spot for both locals and visitors. It鈥檚 also a great place to take a break, especially on warm summer afternoons. On the west side stands Kaufhof, Munich鈥檚 very first postwar department store. Meanwhile, beneath the surface, an entire network of underground shops spreads out from the U-Bahn and S-Bahn exits, making this one of the city鈥檚 busiest retail intersections.

All in all, Karl's Square isn鈥檛 just a square鈥攊t鈥檚 a crossroads of history, shopping, transport, and local life. And if you鈥檙e catching a tram, chances are you鈥檒l pass through here鈥攊t鈥檚 one of the key hubs of Munich鈥檚 streetcar network.

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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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Karlsplatz (Karl's Square)
Sight Location: Munich, Germany (See walking tours in Munich)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Old Town Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Munich, Germany

Create Your Own Walk in Munich

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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

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles

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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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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

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