Information in Simple English
Welcome to the website of the Gasteig arts centre
Here you can find out the most important things about the Gasteig.
It is written in simple English.
What is the Gasteig?
The Gasteig is an arts centre in Munich.
“Arts” means, for example, music, theatre or pictures.
There are also things for children to take part in.
The Gasteig was opened in 1985.
It is the biggest arts centre in Europe.
The Gasteig is there for everyone
Everyone is welcome here.
And everyone can use the things the Gasteig offers.
If you have a good idea, tell the Gasteig.
Maybe it will lead to new events that other people will also enjoy.
Everyone can help shape our programme.
What does the name “Gasteig” mean?
The Gasteig is built on a hill.
Below is the river Isar.
There once used to be a steep path down to the Isar.
In Bavaria, another word for “steep” is “gach”.
That is why this path was called “gacher Steig”.
“Steig” is German for “climb” or “steep path”.
Over time, “gacher Steig” has changed to Gasteig.
What can I do in the Gasteig?
There are many things to do at the Gasteig.
You can:
- Visit events
- Listen to music
- Dance
- Watch films
- Read or borrow books
- Take part in a language course
- Eat and drink
- and much more
Where is the Gasteig?
The Gasteig is in 2 different places:
- The main location is the Gasteig HP8.
HP8 is short for Hans‑Preißinger‑Straße 8.
This is the name of the street of the Gasteig HP8.
It is in the part of Munich called Sendling.
Its address is:
Hans‑Preißinger‑Straße 8
81379 Munich
The Gasteig used to be in Rosenheimer Straße.
The building there will soon be repaired and changed.
When this is finished, the Gasteig will move back there. - The other place is the Gasteig Motorama.
The Motorama is a shopping centre.
It has this name because cars used to be sold there.
Its address is:
Rosenheimer Straße 30 to 32
81667 Munich
The Gasteig HP8
Here you can see a plan of the Gasteig HP8.
What can I find here?
The Gasteig HP8 has several buildings.
They have letters as names, for example Hall E or Hall X.
There are the following buildings.
Click on a name below to find out more.
Hall E is very large.
It is more than 100 years old and is a listed building.
In the past, machines were kept and repaired there.
Today there is a café here, called the GAiA Deli & News.
There is also a bar, called the GAiA Bar.
In Hall E, you can:
- buy tickets for events,
- visit an office of the adult education centre,
- visit a branch of the Munich Public Library.
This is on the upper floors.
You can read books there or listen to music.
You can then also borrow the books on the ground floor.
The toilets on the ground floor and the mezzanine floor
are made for wheelchair users.
The toilets on the first floor and the mezzanine floor
are not made for people in wheelchairs.
The lift goes up as far as the second floor.
The Isarphilharmonie is next to Hall E.
It is the largest concert hall in the Gasteig HP8.
“Philharmonie” is German for “philharmonic hall”.
“Philharmonic” is a Greek word that means “love of music”.
The “Isar” in the name is because the hall stands near the Isar river.
The Isarphilharmonie has room for 1900 people.
It is mainly used for concerts.
This can be modern music or old orchestra music.
In an orchestra, many musicians with different instruments
play on the same stage.
This hall was built in 2021.
Its walls are made of black wood.
The stage and the floor are made of wood that has a light colour.
This makes the hall very comfortable.
The hall has very good acoustics.
This means that you can hear
the sounds of the music well from everywhere in the hall.
The visitors sit very close to the stage.
The lifts and stairs to get into the Isarphilharmonie are in Hall E.
There are also toilets for wheelchair users.
The Projektor is a smaller room in Hall E.
Its name comes from “projector”.
That is a machine for showing films and pictures.
In the Projektor, you can watch films
and listen to talks.
Hall X is a separate building. It is right next to Hall E.
There are many different events here, for example:
- Dance performances
- Concerts
- Theatre
During an event, a bar is open here.
In the entrance area,
there is a toilet for wheelchair users.
The Small Hall is in Building K.
It was completed in 2022.
It has 100 seats and one place for a wheelchair.
It has its own entrance area and a stage.
Concerts with a small number of musicians take place here.
There is a toilet for wheelchair users.
Building K also has a restaurant called GAiA
with a terrace.
Who does events in the Gasteig HP8?
In the Gasteig HP8,
there are different organisations and orchestras:
(Click on a name to find out more. A new page will open.
But this is not in simple English.)
- Munich Public Library
- MVHS adult education centre
- Munich Philharmonic orchestra
- University of Music and Performing Arts
- Munich Chamber Orchestra
- Gasteig München GmbH
How do I get to the Gasteig HP8?
You can take the bus:
The buses 54 and X30 stop at the Schäftlarnstraße/HP8 stop.
This is directly in front of the Gasteig.
You can take the underground:
Get off at the Brudermühlstraße station.
Then walk towards the Isar river.
That takes about 7 minutes.
You can come by car:
Park in the Parkhaus Blumen‑Großmarkt car park.
The entrance is at Lagerhausstraße 5.
The address is Schäftlarnstraße 2, 81371 Munich.
There are also parking spaces for wheelchair users here.
Then take bus 97 directly to the Gasteig HP8.
When is the Gasteig HP8 open?
It is open every day from 7 in the morning to 11 at night.
The Gasteig Motorama
How do I get there?
The Gasteig Motorama is in the shopping centre in Rosenheimer Straße 30–32.
You can get there with the regional trains (S‑Bahn) 1 to 8 or with tram 25.
Get off at Rosenheimer Platz.
There is also an underground car park opposite the Gasteig Motorama.
Its entrance is at Rosenheimer Straße.
What is there at the Gasteig Motorama?
There is a branch of the Munich Public Library.
Here you can find:
- Books about family
- Games
- Computers for learning
You can also use the room for different events.
Events for taking part in also take place here.
When is the Gasteig Motorama open?
It is open every day from 7 in the morning to 10 at night.
Where can I find out about events?
Every month there is a printed programme.
You can have this sent to you at home every month.
This does not cost anything.
To order a programme,
call us at this phone number in Germany: 089 480980.
Or send us an e‑mail to kommunikation@gasteig.de
We also have a newsletter.
You can subscribe to it here.
Important: This link takes you to a form that you can fill in to get the Gasteig newsletter.
This is not written in simple English.
Where can I get tickets for events?
You can buy tickets at these places:
- At the desk of München Ticket in Hall E of the Gasteig HP8
- At any München Ticket agency
- On the internet at muenchenticket.de
- By phone using the German phone number 089 548181400
What will the old Gasteig look like after the changes?
The Gasteig at Rosenheimer Platz will soon be repaired
and changed.
Here you can see what the Gasteig will look like after the changes.
That page is not written in simple English.
