Munich - Housing Typology

Wohnheim    
A dormitory or old people's home. There are some of these centred around the university.

Altbau    
A building pre-dating 1949. Many such buildings in the Altstadt have been renovated to house people in individual apartments. Frequently the ground floor is a commercial premises.

Bauernhof    
A single building comprised of a house and barn. Of course there are none of these in the city centre or inner suburbs, but you see them frequently much further out.

Einfamilienhaus    
Usually a single storey house, with only one household, hence the literal translation 'one family house'. Multi-storey buildings that look like an Einfamilienhaus probably have independent households living on each level, including the attic, which is called the "Dachgeschoss" (roof level).

Fachwerkhaus    
Direct translation is a half-timbered house. These houses have a timber frame on the outside. They are not common in the city or suburbs, but in satellite suburbs.

Reihenhaus    
Terrace house. Not that common.

Gartenhaus    
A small house with a garden. Very rare!

Villa    
A large, expensive house with a large garden. Even rarer!