Müllersches Volksbad, Munich

Before you is Müllersches Volksbad, an indoor swimming bath designed by Carl Hocheder. Its architecture brings together Neobarock and Jugendstil, with a richly ornamented façade and grand interior spaces. The bath opened in 1901.

At completion, it was the world’s largest and most modern swimming bath. Its creation began with a gift from the Munich engineer Karl Müller, given on the condition that the city provide a bath for people without means. The clock tower is a striking feature of the building; its water tanks helped maintain steady pressure, while its four clock faces made it practical as well as decorative.

Inside, the main pool lies beneath a powerful barrel vault, with wooden bathing cabins arranged around the water on gallery levels. Sauna and steam-bath facilities remain part of the building’s purpose.