Kunstgiesserei Artisan Foundry in Munich — Feels like the Gateway to the Underworld

Street names reveal much about the former use of the districts. Schwere Reiter-, Lazarett- or Infanterie street give a hint to military bases which were located here. Directly south of it was the Gießerei quarter (Erzgießereistrasse), since castings in the form of lafettes were mainly used by the military. The Royal Erzgießerei was located here, where coins and statue-like symbols of power were manufactured.

Only a stone’s throw from Stiglmaierplatz is the only active foundry in this quarter, which is run by the male part of the Gögtepe family – father Hasan and sons Aslan and Selim – as an art foundry. Craftsmanship and art accompany each other here. This more than 100-year-old foundry is located in the backyard of a residential building in Schleißheimer Strasse. The waxworks, where moulds are prepared, leads to the casting hall. When the oven glows there to liquefy bronze, silver or aluminium and the lid, which seems to float horizontally on the heat, is lifted, it really does look like the entrance to the underworld.

Franz Münchinger, pardon Helmut Fischer, who is seated in eternal contentment at Münchner Freiheit, was cast here according to the designs of the Munich artist Nikolai Tregor. So was his friend and director Helmut Dietl. Soon they will be together again at Münchner Freiheit.

Munich “Handmade Quality”

Kunstgießerei München is among many other manufacturers, retailers and restaurants part of Munich “Handmade Quality”. The guide is our latest book out of the Makers Bible series. A compact city guide in pocket book format, which leads to handmade, genuine and passionate quality in Munich.