Tucked away in a quiet sidestreet near the bustling heart of Munich, the Mandarin Oriental, Munich is a calm refuge within walking distance of the city’s museums, Opera house and theaters. It’s just steps away from the designer boutiques and boulevard cafes of the Maximilianstrasse in one direction, and the Viktualienmarkt – one of the most picturesque gourmet marketplaces – in the other. Using the Mandarin Oriental, Munich as a starting point, a walking tour of Munich’s Old Town encompasses many of its principal sites, ending up in the landmark Hofbräuhaus beer hall and garden next door to the Mandarin Oriental, Munich.

Located in the 56-meter section of the Medieval city wall, discoveries made during the restoration project, indicate that the Mandarin Oriental, Munich’s foundations encompassed a significant chapter in Munich’s history. The building’s distinctive neo-Renaissance facade reveals its kinship with other fine structures built during Munich’s rapid expansion in the last quarter of the 19th century.

Johann Kilian Stützel’s Ballhaus was planned as a glittering focal point of Munich’s social scene – a role it fulfilled admirably from its competition in 1875 – 80, with debutante balls and concerts by the Kaimorchester, predecessor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.

Until 1919, the property remained in the possession of the Stützel family, who had brought out the original partner, Anton Roth in 1877. The winds of social change in the wake of World War I, however, brought about a need for structural changes, and the spacious halls were partitioned to make offices for the sales department of a sewing thread manufacturer.

In 1945 the building was renovated, changing hands several times before its transformation into the Antique Haus, the dream of artist financier Manfred Rubesam. Rubesam hoped that the conversation into an antique shopping complex would recall the glory of former times, but neither he nor his successor Erich Kaufmann was able to establish a sound financial base for the project.