September 27, 2025, 5:28 am | Read time: 3 minutes

Learning and having fun at the same time? The campus of the Technical University of Munich in the small Bavarian town of Garching proves it’s possible. There, students (and professors) sometimes don’t walk to the lecture halls—they slide. That’s right, thanks to a so-called parabolic slide with two tubes spanning several floors. More than 20 years after its inauguration, this playground for adults in the Mathematics and Computer Science building remains extremely popular.

The history of the parabolic slide at the Garching campus dates back to 2002. At that time, the university launched a competition, according to its official website. “The goal was to create an art object that reflected the then Faculty of Mathematics and simultaneously added value to the building,” a spokesperson for the Technical University of Munich told TRAVELBOOK. Young artists from the region were invited to submit proposals. From the eight applications, a jury “consisting of professors and student representatives” selected the winner.

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Sliding by Mathematical Formula

And that was the parabolic slide by the Munich-based firm “Brunner and Ritz.” Their parabolic slide impressed the jurors the most, and so the unusual attraction was officially inaugurated on December 10, 2002. The high-profile attendance on that day underscored the status of the Technical University of Munich as an elite institution. The then Bavarian State Premier Edmund Stoiber himself, along with the then TUM President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang A. Herrmann, inaugurated the slide.

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And it really packs a punch, as a “ride” on the parabolic slide covers a height difference of 13 meters across three floors. This unique art object is also something for true math nerds. “The slides form the shape of a parabola, an open, symmetrical curve. The formula (z = y = h x² / d²) is applied to the main axis—it includes the actual height of the slide, the distance between the entry points, and the floor level as factors.” However, you don’t need to understand this as a layperson to enjoy the slide.

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Permanently Popular

To ensure the fun is also safe, the parabolic slide is regularly inspected and maintained by TÜV Süd. The company Salzgitter AG custom-made it from 12-millimeter-thick steel tubes. More than 20 years after its inauguration, the slide remains extremely popular, according to the university. It’s not just students who enjoy it, but also guests like the school classes that regularly visit. “We don’t collect exact usage numbers. However, the carpets provided for sliding need to be regularly replaced—this shows the continued strong interest in this art object in the building.”

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If you want to experience the fun of the parabolic slide yourself, you can do so during the regular opening hours of the Garching campus. Please refer to the official website for these hours. According to the website, you must be at least 11 years old to slide.