Altstadt-Lehel

Altstadt-Lehel is Munich's district no. 1. It combines the Altstadt, the medieval core inside the former city gates with its quarters around Marienplatz, and the Lehel, the oldest of Munich's suburbs, which lies between the old town ring and the Isar.

On 31 December 2025, 20,606 people had their main residence here, on about 3.1 km², the smallest population of all 25 districts. The density of 66 residents per hectare is lower than in the neighbouring inner districts because much of the centre is taken up by shops, offices, churches, museums and public buildings. About 24% of residents did not hold German citizenship (city average 30.6%).

• Altstadt: the historic centre with the Graggenau, Hacken, Kreuz and Anger quarters around Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche, St. Michael and the Residenz. Compared with its size, relatively few people live here.
• Lehel: described by the city portal as one of Munich's most worth-seeing districts, with neo-Baroque and neo-Renaissance buildings along streets such as Maximilianstraße and around St.-Anna-Platz. It developed in the 19th century from a quarter of day labourers and laundresses into a sought-after residential area.
• Prinzregentenstraße, known as the museum mile, with the Haus der Kunst, the Bavarian National Museum and the Archaeological State Collection.
• Praterinsel, an island in the Isar used for concerts and exhibitions.

The district is the hub of the whole network.

• S-Bahn: all trunk-line services stop at Karlsplatz (Stachus), Marienplatz and Isartor.
• U-Bahn: U3 and U6 at Marienplatz; U4 and U5 at Karlsplatz and Lehel; U1, U2, U7 and U8 at Sendlinger Tor on the edge of the old town.
• Trams and buses also serve the Lehel, which has several tram stops.

Housing is mainly in older multi-storey buildings; the Lehel's 19th-century apartment buildings in historicist styles shape the streets. The city portal notes that the Lehel is not among Munich's cheaper places to live. With only about 20,600 residents, the district offers comparatively few homes.

About 11.5% of residents were under 18 at the end of 2025, below the city average of 15.2%. The southern English Garden, with the Kleinhesseloher See (rowing boats in summer, skating in winter), and the Isar banks are close by. Search for Kitas with kita finder+ and check your catchment school before signing a lease.