Munich: Elisabethstrasse

1907

Architect: Jakob Bender

Elisabethstraße 34 – 38, Munich, Germany

In 1907, architect Jakob Bender designed the apartment building on Elisabethstrasse in Munich-Schwabing.

For many years, painter Karl Caspar lived on the fourth floor of house number 38.

Schwabing

In 1890, a building boom had begun in Schwabing.

This was due to the incorporation. Many new apartment buildings were constructed, and the studio apartments on the top floors attracted artists.

The Academy of Art was nearby, and many painting schools were located in Maxvorstadt, a neighboring neighborhood south of Schwabing.

Elisabethstrasse

Elisabethstrasse in Schwabing was named after Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1898. She was the daughter of Duke Maximilian in Bavaria, the mother of Gisela (who married Prince Leopold), and the cousin of King Ludwig II.

She was married to Emperor Franz Joseph I, for whom Franz-Joseph-Strasse in Schwabing was named in 1894.

The couple often stayed with relatives in Schwabing at both Palais Leopold and nearby Biederstein Palace.

Writers and Artists

Literary figures and poets such as Frank Wedekind, Lion Feuchtwanger, Erich Mühsam, Stefan George and Oskar Maria Graf left their mark on the neighborhood.

In addition, the artists’ association Der Blaue Reiter included painters such as Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Paul Klee, Gabriele Münter, and Marianne von Werefkin.

Simplicissimus and Jugend

In 1896, two influential magazines were launched: Simplicissimus and Jugend, which gave its name to the art movement of Jugendstil.

Wahnmoching

Countess Franziska zu Reventlow threw in the towel with her aristocratic family and led an unconventional life in Munich as the Countess of Schwabing. She created a literary monument to the artistic scene in her novel, Herr Dames Aufzeichnungen oder Begebenheiten aus einem merkwürdigen Stadtteil.

She coined the nickname “Wahnmoching” for Schwabing, capturing both its village-like and idealistic character.

Building

The apartment building on Elisabethstrasse features all the typical design elements of Art Nouveau: colorful geometric and floral forms in the façade decoration, ornate gables, oriels, balconies, and a tower-like raised corner design.

Rich geometric shapes and floral motifs adorn the façade as well as the wrought iron balcony grilles.

The building is a landmark and received the facade award from the city of Munich in 1990.