The district of Altstadt-Lehel.

The 1st district of Munich comprises two main parts: the historic Old Town and Lehel, which extends to the northeast of the Old Town. For administrative and statistical purposes, however, it is divided into six subdistricts. The Old Town is split into four historic quarters: Graggenau, Anger, Hacken, and Kreuz. Lehel and the English Garden are also subdistricts of the 1st district.

The location of the district.

The Altstadtring forms the boundary of the Old Town. The southern and western borders run from Isartor, Sendlinger Tor, and Karlstor to Maximiliansplatz and the Hofgarten. The Old Town is easily accessible by both U-Bahn and S-Bahn.

Lehel is bordered by the Isar River to the east, the Max-Joseph Bridge to the north, the Ludwig Bridge to the south, and the Altstadtring to the west. The Prater Island, as well as the northern part of the Museum Island, also belong to Lehel. The district is optimally connected to the public transportation network via the U4 and U5 subway lines.
.

The district of Altstadt.

Historical background

The historic Old Town is the heart of the district and the oldest part of the Bavarian capital. In 1158, Munich’s history began here. During World War II, many parts of the Old Town were destroyed. Special attention was given to preserving the monumental buildings that define the district during the reconstruction. These include primarily churches, the National Theatre, the Old and New Town Halls, and many more. However, much of the residential architecture of the Old Town was lost. Large open spaces were created, especially through the clearing of Marienhof and the passage from Rindermarkt heading south, significantly reshaping the cityscape. In the 1960s, the construction of the Altstadtring brought another major change to the character of the Old Town. In 1972, the creation of a pedestrian zone removed all through traffic from the Old Town.

Significant buildings

As the center of cultural life as well as municipal and state politics, the Old Town offers numerous sights. It is a major attraction, especially for tourists from around the world. The famous Frauenkirche stands 37 meters tall and is one of Munich’s most iconic landmarks. Due to the prohibition on constructing buildings over 100 meters high within the city center and beyond the middle ring road, the church towers remain widely visible. Other significant buildings in the Old Town include the Theatinerkirche and the Asamkirche. Among the most important cultural institutions are the Bavarian State Theatre, the Bavarian State Opera, and the municipal Münchner Kammerspiele.

A particularly striking attraction is the New Town Hall at Marienplatz with its famous Glockenspiel. It houses the office of the Mayor of Munich as well as the meeting place of the City Council. However, the most notorious building in Munich is the world-famous beer hall, the Munich Hofbräuhaus.

The district of Lehel.

Historical background

Lehel, derived from “lohe,” meaning a light forest, was once a small riparian forest crisscrossed by several streams. As early as 1724, Lehel was included within Munich’s city boundary, making it the city’s oldest suburb. In the past, Lehel served as a refuge primarily for lower-class citizens—those who were not permitted to move into the city due to poverty found a home there. By the mid-19th century, the district developed into a popular residential area and today serves as a central point for many sightseeing tours.

Significant buildings

Several public and private administrative buildings, as well as a total of seven museums, can be found in Lehel today. The neo-Romanesque St. Anna Parish Church (1887–1892) is one of the architectural highlights of the district.

The 25-meter-high Chinese Tower is located in one of the largest urban parks in the world, the 373-hectare English Garden. The park offers a variety of recreational activities both in summer and winter.

Altstadt-Lehel and its population structure

Just twelve years after the end of the war, Munich’s population rose to over one million. Today, around 20,048 people live in District 1. In addition to long-time residents, the district is home to a younger, working population, predominantly living in one- and two-person households.

The age structure in Altstadt-Lehel

Based on the development and evaluation of statistics on the age structure in Altstadt-Lehel, the following statements can be made for the years 2000 to 2011: The bar charts show a relatively stable number of residents in the age groups under 6 years, 6 to under 15 years, 45 to under 65 years, and 65 years and older. In the group of 15 to under 45-year-olds, which makes up the largest portion of the population, the number of individuals fluctuates. Overall, there was a decrease of 573 people from 2008 to 2009; however, from 2010 to 2011, an increase of 500 people was recorded.

Numbers and Facts

Area: 318.85 hectares

Population: 20,048 residents

Population density: 64 residents per hectare