Many influencers visit Munich every year and capture the city through an array of videos, articles and photos. In order to gain some real insight into their creative work and to find out what they love so much about Munich, we have put together a questionnaire. This time: Philipp Heer and Virginia Durán.
How did you imagine Munich before your visit?
When we (@lerichti and @vdurango) started our research on Munich, we couldn't imagine the incredible amount and variety of architecture. This was especially amazing for Philipp, who had already visited the city several times for other reasons.
And what was it really like?
We found ourselves in a city full of great buildings, rather unknown insider tips (such as the library in the Beyond Hotel) and fantastic food. And: We were very positively impressed by the friendliness of the inhabitants: Without any trouble and always very nice, we were always gladly helped and they were very interested in learning more about us.
What did you like best?
An absolute highlight was the Antiquarium in the Munich Residenz by Leo von Klenze. We were lucky and caught the morning sun and the atmosphere was wonderful. It was also very quiet because we were able to take the pictures before it opened.
The most interesting place?
It probably has to be the huge staircase in the Alte Pinakothek. If you look closely, you can see the different bricks that were used for the construction. This is because during the Second World War the building was badly damaged, so much so that it almost had to be demolished. Fortunately, it was preserved and renovated between 1952 and 1957, and the staircase was also added to the building. A virtually iconic image of Munich!
The most delicious food? The best drink?
We had an excellent dinner at the vegetarian/vegan restaurant Prinz Myshkin, just a stone's throw from Marienplatz. The plates served were huge and decidedly lenker. The best "drink" was probably the excellent wine we enjoyed at Brenner Opera Grill. But we must also admit that we were fascinated by the huge space, which also made the wine even better.
The most beautiful encounter?
Sometimes we spend too long in one place or traffic holds us up, causing delays. The longest wait was probably the sexton of the Herz-Jesu-Kirche, who was very patient and understanding and told us a lot about the technology and architecture of "his" church in high spirits. And therefore had to wait a long time for his lunch – which he also had to cook first. We will remember this man, almost a Bavarian archetype, for a long time and with pleasure.
The best moment?
There are places where we already know in advance that there's going to be a cracker. When we visited the Glyptothek, we had high expectations, but when we briefly walked through the rooms and looked at the pictures, we were simply blown away. That's always an indescribable moment!
What did you learn?
The Law Library in the New Town Hall can only be visited as part of a guided tour in order to disturb the library operations as little as possible. So we learned a lot about the wonderful Law Library, which is built in Art Nouveau style. The multi-colored books stand out from the shelves and the two floors are connected by a wrought iron spiral staircase. We are grateful for the interesting information provided by our tour guide Stephanie Zimmermann.
What do you take home with you?
The feeling of returning to Munich – the best souvenir from a city trip and a sign that a city fills us with admiration and we want more of it.
You can give a friend three tips for a Munich trip – where do you send him?
Bring your notebook to draw some pictures of the city. Rent a car to visit many places outside the city, like the Saint Joseph Church in Holzkirchen by Eberhard Wimmer. And: The restaurants serve large portions – trust us and order only one dish for two people.
What would you definitely like to do on your next visit?
Due to lack of time we had to skip some buildings, so we would like to visit the OlyDorf bungalows by Günther Eckert and Werner Wirsing. We also didn't make it to the Pharaoh House by Karl Helmut Bayer, which we only saw from the Olympic Tower but couldn't visit.
What do you draw inspiration from for your work?
Our insatiable joy in discovering and experiencing architecture, it's this passion that drives us. And every building we visit inspires us in a new way and we learn from it, giving us new ideas - and again, new desires to discover even more.
What is the biggest challenge in your job?
Whenever possible, we want to show the rooms and buildings without other people, which is a big challenge. So we try to get access to the buildings before they open. But in the case of Carl Hocheder's Müllersches Volksbad, this also means that we had to get up at 5 in the morning.
Which Munich photo got the best feedback from your followers?
We have taken so many pictures in Munich that this question cannot yet be answered conclusively. But so far, the pictures of the Endless Staircase, an art installation by Olafur Eliasson, have been the most popular.
And which photo did you like the most? Why?
This question is hard to answer, but if we must: Among other things, we really like this picture of the Olympic Stadium, because it shows the huge dimensions of this building through the presence of Virginia. And the rows of seats give the image a great rhythm.
Your personal tip for the perfect vacation photo?
When it comes to pictures with buildings: Match your clothes to the building, as in the case of the Marienplatz subway station here.
Your three golden travel tips?
I guess everyone has their own travel style. For us, planning is of utmost importance in order to be able to work efficiently on site. Choosing a few suitable restaurants before the trip increases the anticipation. And of course: Choose well what you really need in terms of equipment and clothing. Especially on city hikes, the (photo) equipment you bring with you can weigh heavily over time.
Finally: What do you think the people of Munich mean by the Bavarian expression Schmoizla?*
Hm, maybe according to our restaurant experiences in Munich: Butterscotch?
*just missed: Schmoizla is the Bavarian term for snuff.
Thank you, Virginia and Philipp.
About the person
We are two friends who are fascinated by the built environment and travel to find the best and most impressive buildings. We try to capture the places we visit in photographs. We passionately prepare for the trips, take the photos and then edit them. We are constantly looking for new buildings to visit and dreaming about the places we will photograph in the future. Philipp lives in Zürich, Virginia in London.