Toytown Germany

The Fünf Höfe, which opened in March 2003, is Munich's newest and proudest shopping arcade. The Fünf Höfe is located in the very heart of the city, just a few hundred meters from Marienplatz. In the 20th century this area used to be Munich's central banking district. As the various banks merged into one it was suddenly found that the entire area belonged to one entity. So in 1998 the HypoVereinsbank decided to move their offices elsewhere and transform the remaining buildings into a modern center for shopping, restaurants & cafes, art galleries, office space, and residential apartments too.

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The work of chief architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron of Basel, Switzerland, has made this network of passages and inner courtyards an absolute pleasure to stroll through. The Fünf Höfe (English translation: Five Courtyards) is literally an area of five connected courtyards. Every section has its own character. The inner walls are made of steel and glass whilst the outside street facing walls are the original 19th century stone. In one area there are giant ivies - over 10 meters long - hanging from the ceiling. The exotic plants look like plastic but they are actually real. In the evenings the office spaces are illuminated with slowly pulsating lights which change colour. There are also various fountains and other art works.

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The Fünf Höfe is located between Theatinerstraße, Salvatorstrasse, Maffeistrasse, and Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse. The five courtyards are called Amirahof, Maffeihof, Perusahof, Portiahof, and Viscadihof.

Amongst the bars and restaurants located in the Fünf Höfe are Barista, the Thai restaurant Kaimug, and the favourite amongst the society elite: Schumann's Tages Bar.

Some of the big name fashion clothing stores are here, for example Emporio Armani, Zara, Dolce & Gabbana, Ludwig Beck, and Marc O'Polo. There are also many other shops including the book store Hugendubel.

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See the official website (in German): Fünf Höfe