Which City Has The Most Beer Halls?

Autumn is for Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest has largely come to an end in Europe, with the majority of events taking place in the early days of the month. However, the very first Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, began in 1810 on the 12th of October! 

The celebration honoured the marriage of King Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and was treated as a public holiday. These days, those origins have largely been forgotten, with Oktoberfest largely acting as an excuse to drink good beer and eat classic Bavarian comfort foods. 

The most iconic element of any Oktoberfest is a good beer hall, commonly constructed as temporary builds for the season. Indeed, you’ll see similar projects later in the year, as those same beer halls are repurposed for Christmas markets and German-inspired celebrations. While the UK will have its fair share of drinking establishments in the near future, the question remains, which global city has the most beer halls? 

Munich Comes Out On Top

It should come as no surprise that the Bavarian capital, Munich, has the most beer halls in the world. The city is where the tradition of beer halls and beer gardens began, and there are around 30 typical large-scale beer halls, alongside 180 additional small venues and gardens. 

Berlin follows on from Munich, the German capital boasting around 20 typical large beer halls, with countless smaller venues. Even London makes the list, the classic British pub marrying into that European influence. But for the best beer hall experiences, you really need to head to Germany next Oktoberfest. 

Building A Beer Hall

What actually defines a beer hall, though? What makes it different from a typical pub? Well, building a beer hall isn’t as easy as you might think. Firstly, you have to get the scale right. A typical beer hall has to seat at least 1,000 and features a heavy timber or vaulted ceiling that presents an open, vast space. 

A beer hall has to be kitted out with long wooden benches, rustic furnishings and often copper brewing equipment. Heavy furnishings complement specialist beer infrastructure, which has to be carefully built into the backdrop without taking away from the atmosphere and style of the construction. Clearly, Munich does it best, but you’ll see some of these familiar design choices in the pop-up versions too!