Gasteig München

The largest cultural center in Europe

Top Classical, November 2022
Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich. This immense cultural center was built between 1978 and 1985, all in brick, glass and steel. the design caused quite a controversy in the mid-eighties due to its postmodern, boxy, glass-and-brick design in very big dimensions. The Gasteig has a total area of almost 25,000 square meters, which is equivalent to several soccer fields.

This is where the “Bürgerbraükeller” was located where Georg Elser attempted a bomb attack against Hitler. A showcase visible from outside of the Gasteig commemorates Elser’s history. Since it opened its doors in 1985, the Gasteig has grown into a hub of culture and creativity and the home of a number of Munich’s renowned cultural and educational institutions: the Munich Philharmonic, the Münchner Volkshochschule (Munich Community College), the Munich City Library, and the University of Music and Performing Arts. With four separate performance halls, the Gasteig’s concert calendar would make any event planner dizzy. In addition to regular performances by the orchestras, the Gasteig hosts more than 2,500 concerts each year.

The cultural center “Am Gasteig” in Munich is situated next to the central tunnel of the Munich rapid transit railway System. When the cultural center was built in 1983, the planners had to ensure that the background noise level in the concert hall did not exceed the specified limit of 25 decibels when a train is passing so that the concert hall could also be used for recording.

The center, on the banks of the Isar, showcases top performers year-round. it has often played host to leading international orchestras and star soloists. The venue’s ties to the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra make it the most important concert house in the city, but also smaller, chamber performances and some special events that run throughout the year.

Philharmonie im Gasteig hosts concerts for a wide range of genres.  The facility hosts jazz, big band, dance, world music, theater performances, and even lectures and other cultural events. This month of November we can find in the venue’s agenda artists such as Julia Fischer, Beatrice Rana, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Cecilia Bartoli, Igor Levit and many more.