1800–1900: within a century, Munich's suburb Schwabing emerged as a multi-faceted cultural centre, located between Berlin and Vienna. While "Munich Modernism" may have lacked aesthetic manifestos and milestones such as Hofmannsthal's Lord Chandos Letter, and theorists such as Benjamin or Kracauer, it had a remarkably strong resonance at the time and lasting influence on subsequent literary movements. The chapter sheds light on the political and economic dynamics that shaped the city and reflects on the attractiveness of Munich as a cultural hub. It discusses three texts that evaluate Munich and its role as a Kunststadt, focusing on their engagement with (sexual) morals, art commerce and the anachronisms so typical of the Prince Regent Period: Wedekind's Lulu, Thomas Mann's Gladius Dei and Kubin's Die andere Seite.