New Maxim Cinema Munich's third oldest movie theatre at Rotkreuzplatz

Formerly a department store, now a cinema: the New Maxim in the west of Munich is not only Munich's third oldest movie theatre but also one with a particularly beautiful ambience. The two charmingly furnished movie theatres mainly show selected documentaries and arthouse films.

The fascinating thing about historic buildings is their history. When you step onto centuries-old floors, you can almost hear them whispering stories of long-forgotten times. The New Maxim cinema in Neuhausen has quite an eventful past to tell.

From 1902 to 1912, today's movie theatre was still a department store. It then became a cinema but was renamed several times over the centuries and finally rebuilt until it reopened in its current form in 2016. 

The entrance area is decorated with a large sofa and designer lamps, while the foyer is adorned with dark wooden tables and an Art Nouveau ceiling fresco. Overall, the ambience, with its muted tones and few decorative elements, has a Scandinavian-minimalist feel.

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In keeping with the clean interior, there are only two movie theatres: a very small one with only 33 seats in the basement, which has additional large seat cushions and walls with a rough masonry structure, and the main screening room at ground level. It has almost 80 seats and large, soundproof window fronts that provide a view of Landshuter Allee right up to the start of the screening.

Film enthusiasts appreciate being able to sink into the comfortable cinema seats in the New Maxim and choose from a varied program - from documentaries to arthouse productions and children's films.

Readings, director talks and concerts also take place in the movie theater. The cinema also shows short films instead of commercials - how refreshing! Rarely have we felt so entertained in such a historical setting.

Nina Zeller

Author Munich