Freddie Mercury & Queen tours in Munich
Freddie Mercury and Munich: Six years that made history
Freddie Mercury – a name that stands for musical genius, eccentricity and joie de vivre. But what many people don’t know is that the legendary Queen frontman spent six formative years of his life in Munich.
From 1979 to 1985, Mercury found a home away from the limelight in the Bavarian metropolis, which not only inspired him, but also shaped his creative and private side.
MUNICH: A RETREAT FULL OF INSPIRATION FOR FREDDIE
Freddie Mercury moved to Munich when he was looking for a place that offered him more anonymity and freedom than London.
The city welcomed him with its open, international atmosphere and a thriving gay and artistic scene that was unique in Europe. Here he could breathe easy and simply be himself – without the constant scrutiny of the British press.
His new home was the Glockenbachviertel, already the heart of the LGBTQ+ community at the time.
Freddie lived in his own apartment in Hans-Sachs-Straße, not far from numerous trendy bars and clubs and opposite “Club Thomas” (now the “Faun” pub).
Munich was the birthplace of some of his most important musical works, including the global hit
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love (music video on YouTube)“,
which he allegedly wrote in the bathtub of the Munich Hilton.
A SPECIAL KIND OF NIGHTLIFE FOR FREDDIE IN MUNICH
Mercury’s time in Munich was characterized by excessive partying, artistic freedom and memorable encounters.
His close friendship with the actress and Munich scene great Barbara Valentin (Wiki) was a central element of his life in the city. She was not only his companion, but also his muse, who inspired him in many ways. Together they roamed the nights, from one party to the next.
One of the legendary meeting places was the Deutsche Eiche(History of the German Oak), a restaurant and sauna club that is still a popular place for the LGBTQ+ community today.
The “Old Mrs. Henderson” (now Tanzbar Paradiso), a travesty club, also remained unforgotten: Freddie Mercury celebrated his 39th birthday there with a party that went down as one of the most extravagant in the city’s history and was also captured in a fantastic music video.
FREDDIE – MUSIC & MELANCHOLY
However, Munich was more than just a place to party for Freddie Mercury.
Here he worked in the famous “Musicland Studios“, where he recorded songs for the album “Hot Space”, among others. The city became a place of inspiration, but also a retreat that enabled him to develop artistically.
But alongside all the joie de vivre, there were also challenges. Mercury’s time in Munich coincided with a phase in which he not only reoriented himself musically, but also dealt with personal conflicts.
FREDDIE’S LASTING LEGACY TO MUNICH
Freddie Mercury left Munich in 1985, but the traces he left behind are still visible today. There are numerous places in the Glockenbachviertel that are closely associated with his time in the city. The work of art on the Holzplatzwhich immortalizes him with Albert Einstein and Rainer Werner Fassbinder in graffiti on a historic toilet block – a charming homage to his wild and creative time in the city.
If you want to follow in Freddie’s footsteps yourself, you can relive this unforgettable time with the Queen Tour from MucTours.
The adventure tour takes you to the iconic places where Mercury spent his Munich years – from the Deutsche Eiche to hidden pubs and his favorite bars. With gripping anecdotes and exciting stories, the city explorers (guides) from MucTours bring the past to life and show a side of Munich that not only inspires fans of Queen.
A TIME FULL OF PASSION AND FREEDOM
For many fans, Munich remains the place where Freddie Mercury was able to push his artistic and personal boundaries. His six years here were characterized by a lust for life, inspiration and the pursuit of freedom.
Thanks to the Queen Tour by MucTours, this era is still tangible today – a journey that combines music history and Munich’s cultural diversity.
More on this in the SZ article from 6.11.2024 – “Where Freddie Mercury partied to excess in Munich”
If you want to know from participants how the tour is going, please read the blog “Reise-Stories”:
https://reise-stories.de/die-muenchner-lieblingsorte-von-freddie-mercury-entdecken