Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Black Rocks of Pungo Andongo
Abandoned Observatory of the Pioneer Palace
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Kolaches
How Texas Became an Unlikely Epicenter for Czech Pastries
about 21 hours ago
What I Found Driving Across Northern Michigan
about 22 hours ago
What I Found Driving Down Highway 61
about 22 hours ago
What I Found Driving Through Appalachia
about 22 hours ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Munich Klenze's Stone Bench
AO Edited

Klenze's Stone Bench

The unusually large seat sits atop the base of a ruined temple.

Munich, Germany

Added By
Albert
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The bench.   Rufus46
The bench.   Rufus46
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
The stone bench.   N p holmes
Details of the bench.   Rufus46
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When viewed from the front, this enormous bench looks like it's isolated on an island within a creek. Look closely, and you'll realize the peaceful seat is actually plopped atop a peninsula and can be walked to. A strip of land behind the bench, once hidden from view by a veil of trees, but now the "secret" entrance is easy to spot. It lead visitors to the spot.

A beautiful wood and stone temple once stood where the bench is within Munich’s English Garden. The temple, which had been designed and built in the 18th century, featured a statue of Apollo. But as much of the temple was made of wood, it wasn’t long before the whole structure began to fall into disrepair.

In 1838, Leo von Klenze, court architect to Bavarian King Ludwig I, replaced the ruined temple with the massive stone bench. The round base of the temple inspired its curved design. The seat is inscribed with the a simple reminder of the changed landscape: "Hier wo Ihr wallet, da war sonst Wald nur und Sumpf" ("Here where you meander was once only wood and marsh").

The bench is occasionally used by local students to read, study, or have a late night beer.

Related Tags

Parks Temples Gardens Plants

Community Contributors

Added By

albozes

Edited By

kayleighhamer, Kerry Wolfe, Collector of Experiences

  • kayleighhamer
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • Collector of Experiences

Published

June 19, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.baum-und-astwerk.de/en/footer/news/item/artikel/muenchens-gruene-lunge-der-englische-garten.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englischer_Garten
Klenze's Stone Bench
1A Englischer Garten
Munich
Germany
48.15093, 11.59391
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Eisbachwelle

Munich, Germany

miles away

Weiße Rose Pavement Memorial

Munich, Germany

miles away

DenkStätte Weiße Rose (White Rose Memorial Exhibition)

Munich, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Munich

Munich

Germany

Places 35

Nearby Places

Eisbachwelle

Munich, Germany

miles away

Weiße Rose Pavement Memorial

Munich, Germany

miles away

DenkStätte Weiße Rose (White Rose Memorial Exhibition)

Munich, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Munich

Munich

Germany

Places 35

Related Places

  • The ravine seen from above.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Todoroki Valley

    The only natural gorge in metropolitan Tokyo, with lots of greenery and ancient burial chambers.

  • Some two dozen white tubes sit in front of a triangle lattice wall

    Ibiza, Spain

    Bibo Park Ibiza Botánico Biotecnológico

    This Ibiza botanical garden showcases some wild machines that run on plants, literally.

  • Reader Rock Garden

    Calgary, Alberta

    Reader Rock Garden

    A Victorian garden in a harsh climate at the border of the prairies and foothills of the Canadian Rockies.

  • Pergola - The Garden of Sweet Remembrance

    Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

    Garden of Sweet Remembrance

    All that remains of the Whittall mansion are the ruins of the formal garden and its pergola, dedicated to the late Matthew J. Whittall by his widow.

  • Taconic Mountain Ramble Zen Gardens

    Castleton, Vermont

    Taconic Mountain Ramble Zen Gardens

    This magnificent Japanese garden provides a moment of Zen in rural Vermont.

  • Flamingoweiher

    Mainz, Germany

    Stadtpark Mainz

    Along the banks of the River Rhine lies a park that seems unassuming, but beneath the surface lies a long and fascinating history.

  • The rhododendron garden in May.

    Portland, Oregon

    Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

    Nestled between a college and a golf course, the garden is home to more than 2,500 rhododendrons.

  • Vale of Cashmere.

    Brooklyn, New York

    Vale of Cashmere

    This secluded ruin was once a home for exotic plants.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.