It feels like there’s always something going on at Königsplatz – at least in summer, when stars like Peter Gabriel, Hubert von Goisern or kiss Give concerts when sporting events take place or when young people celebrate topless. Basically, this is also what the inventors wanted: King Ludwig I had the square built for cultural life, bourgeois ideals, Catholic Christianity, royal administration and the military. Two centuries later, the latter no longer has such great importance, at least in the cityscape – there are also separate places for Catholic and royal things. However, today’s citizens can still agree on culture.
But not to what is probably the most popular form of culture of our time: there has long been no room for cinemas on Königsplatz. More precisely, 2016 was the last time films were shown here in the open air. For two decades you could see films between the Propylaea, Glyptothek and State Collection of Antiquities, and on a good evening more than 10,000 people came. On not-so-good evenings, the performances literally fell through. So the risk was great, as was the competition – and the search for sponsors became increasingly difficult. Seven years ago, the organizers rolled up the big screen forever.
But now the cinema at Königsplatz is making a comeback: from August 9th, cultural life will return in the form of film screenings, and more titles than ever will be shown. Unlike before, there are now three films per day on the schedule, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. children’s and family films such as “Der Räuber Hotzenplotz”, “Paddington” or “New Stories from Franz” are shown: there is a cordoned-off area for the audience looks at a smaller, daylight-capable LED screen.
Also from 4 p.m. there is a beer garden with live music and food trucks. The main program starts at 8 p.m., the film screenings start around 9:30 p.m. The area used is smaller than it was seven years ago: “A maximum of 5,000 people per evening” could welcome them, says Michi Inzinger, who organizes this open-air event with his partner Simon Pirron. It’s still huge, by far the largest (open-air) cinema in the city.
At the start on August 9th there will be “Rehragout-Rendezvous” – hardly anyone can avoid the new Eberhofer film at the moment. In the days that follow, current Hollywood hits can be seen, comedies like “No Hard Feelings” or action films like “Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny”. German is also on offer: Director David Wnendt and his actors have announced their presence for the cinema hit “Sonne und Beton” (on August 10th), and Maren Kroymann, Heiner Lauterbach and Barbara will be appearing for the premiere of the comedy sequel “Enkel für Advancedten” on August 16th Sukowa expected. And anyone who wants to go to Königsplatz for free is also welcome: the relationship comedy “Caveman” will be shown on August 13, and the free tickets for it are available online.
Cinema at KoenigsplatzWed., Aug. 9, to Wed., Aug. 16, daily from 4 p.m., Königsplatz Munich