The Freimann in the north of Munich is world famous above all for the Allianz Arena, the soccer stadium of the clubs Bayern and 1860 Munich. The area is home to Munich’s beloved recreational parklands: the magnificent Englischer Garten, Frotmaniger Heider and the Upper Isarau. And the Student City, located in this district, is the largest student housing area in Germany.
Basically this part of the Bavarian capital is a mix of industrial and residential settlement. Particularly appealing is the Alte Heide, where newly built homes were built after World War I. The neighbourhood borders on the famous Schwabing, but is much quieter and therefore appreciated by residents. In the 1920s, a large housing block was constructed next to the state rail repair workshops, which later grew between Freisinger Landstraße and the Schleißheimer Canal and was given the name Freimann. Freimann became part of Munich as early as 1931.
If you drive from Freimann in the direction of the city center, it is impossible not to notice the student town, consisting of 14 houses offering 2,500 places for young students. It is the largest college town in Germany and construction began in 1961 and continued until 1975. It is a city within a city with its own style of life, its own restaurants and cafes, night clubs and entertainment and a never-ceasing cultural life, the highlight of which is the StuStaCulum festival. In the northern part of the neighborhood, you’ll find beautifully preserved, luxurious mansions.
Whether you enter or leave Munich from the north, you can’t miss the enormous Allianz Arena soccer stadium. Especially in the evening, when the soccer “temple” glows red (the color of FC Bayern) or blue (the color of TSV 1860).
The first game at the Arena took place on 19.5.2005. It was the opening of the World Cup 2006 with the game between Germany and Costa Rica. Since then the Bayern and the Lions club have been playing their home games in this futuristic place, and the name “Alliance Arena” became well known all over the world.
The Arena building was designed and developed by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron. Its facade is unmistakable: 2,760 foil pads can be illuminated by fluorescent lamps.
About 70,000 fans can watch soccer matches in this stadium. The Arena is especially spectacular when it is lit up not in its usual red or blue, but in green, as it was recently on the occasion of the St. Patrick’s Day.
And in any case, it is worth visiting the club of Bayern fans, where you can learn a lot of new and interesting things even for an old fan of this soccer team.
Although Freimann is considered more of an industrial area, there are also some nice green recreational areas. The name “English Garden” is more commonly associated with the districts of Schwabing and Lehel, but the entire northern part of the garden is in Freymann. The Frottmaninger Heide, a nature reserve with rich flora and fauna, is a wonderful place for hiking and bicycle tours.
A unique feature of Freimann is the Church of the Holy Cross, Munich’s oldest church, which dates back to the 9th century.