Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Garching bei München Queen Elizabeth's Telephone Box
AO Edited

Queen Elizabeth's Telephone Box

This red London phone booth once stood in front of Buckingham Palace and was used by the queen.

Garching bei München, Germany

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Oktober 2021   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Walking around in the streets of Garching, Germany, you can expect to see many things, and a collection of red London telephone boxes is not among them. Yet here they are.

The telephone boxes are situated in front of a private house, together with an old red Citroën. One of them is more special than the others, however, as it has a sign explaining that this phone booth previously stood in front of Buckingham Palace and was used once by Queen Elizabeth II.

According to the sign, on the night of the 16th to the 17th of October 1979, the British monarch used this phone to call her butler because she had forgotten her keys. The phone box continued to serve at the palace location until August of 1985, after which it was replaced. Presumably, it has been in the care of this Garching resident ever since. 

The phone box is set on the corner of the street as if it were still in use. To assist this idea, a very 1980s-looking mannequin—notably not the queen—stands inside holding the phone as if making a call. From time to time the mannequins are swapped.

In early 2020, the 1980's man was replaced by a little girl on a stool. In late 2020, the girl was replaced by a monkey. In late 2021, the monkey was replaced by a man and a little girl. In early 2022, it's a lucky cat with 3 bottles of champagne.

Related Tags

Phone Booths Telephones Royalty History

Know Before You Go

The phone box is on the street and can be visited by anyone, but do not disturb the owner.

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

yellingBytes

  • yellingBytes

Published

November 5, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Queen Elizabeth's Telephone Box
16 Echinger Weg
Garching bei München
Germany
48.255772, 11.65185
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Parabolic Slides

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Lego Very Large Telescope

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Lego Extremely Large Telescope

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Garching bei München

Garching bei München

Germany

Places 5

Nearby Places

Parabolic Slides

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Lego Very Large Telescope

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Lego Extremely Large Telescope

Garching bei München, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Garching bei München

Garching bei München

Germany

Places 5

Related Places

  • Bath, England

    Grey K2 Phone Booth

    An iconic British fixture in an unconventional color.

  • At the entrance to Burlington House stand two K2 telephone boxes.

    London, England

    K2 Telephone Boxes

    The wooden telephone box hidden away in London's Piccadilly was the original prototype of the iconic kiosk.

  • Henry VIII’s Wine Cellar.

    London, England

    Henry VIII’s Wine Cellar

    Once part of a magnificent Tudor palace, this wine cellar is a time capsule underneath the Ministry of Defence.

  • Friendship Tree

    Kawasaki, Japan

    Friendship Tree Duet Phone

    A rare double-receiver payphone housed in a fake tree.

  • Springfield, Missouri

    Call NOW! Art Installation

    A phone booth that combines public art and climate change awareness.

  • Isle of Wight, England

    The Durbar Room

    This elaborate banquet hall in Queen Victoria's summer residence is an homage to Indian architecture, including miniature models of palaces in India.

  • Prince Morinaga’s Dungeon.

    Kamakura, Japan

    Prince Morinaga's Dungeon

    The alleged site of the months-long imprisonment of a Japanese prince.

  • Prairie Grove Phone Booth

    Prairie Grove, Arkansas

    Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth

    A mid-century telephone booth still stands, now a long-distance relic of the past.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.