Bazar, Commercial building in Münchner Altstadt, Germany.
Bazar is a three-story commercial building in Munich's old town that extends along multiple street fronts, featuring neoclassical details such as symmetrical columns and regular window rows. The structure is divided into separate storefronts that open to the streets and connect different retail zones within the central district.
The Bazar was built between 1824 and 1826 to plans by Leo von Klenze on the east side of Odeonsplatz, replacing the old riding school of the Hofgarten. Banker Simon Freiherr von Eichthal financed the construction. Between 1854 and 1856, under Eduard Riedel, both corner pavilions were raised by one storey. After severe damage in World War II air raids, the building was rebuilt by 1956.
The name comes from the shops that once filled the arcade. In the south pavilion, Café Tambosi opened in 1775 as a kiosk selling coffee, chocolate and lemonade; Luigi Tambosi, son of the Wittelsbach court cellar master, took it over in 1810 and gave it his name. It is Munich's oldest café.
The building is easy to explore since it sits right in the old town center and has several entrances from different streets. It works best to walk through at a leisurely pace and take time to notice the facade details and shops across the three levels.
Few visitors realize this was an early example of separating residential and commercial zones, which influenced 19th-century urban planning in Munich. This layout allowed large retail spaces to be created while nearby buildings gradually became purely residential.
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