MUNICH
Munich is the capital of Bavaria and the third largest city in Germany. Most people think of the annual 2 week long Oktoberfest (which actually happens in late September celebrating the marriage of the Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen) in relation to Munich along with biergartens and lederhosen but there is so much more to Munich. Munich is home to many famous museums like the Deutsches museum, BMW museum, Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek and the Modern Pinakothek just to name a few. Munich also houses several multinational companies dedicated to research, art, science, technology, engineering and the automobile industry.
Marienplatz
Marienplatz has been the town square since 1158 and is the location of the New Town Hall and the Old Town Hall. The New Town Hall hosts the city's governmental offices and is home to the Glockenspiel located in the tower.
Rathaus-Glockenpiel
Rathaus-Glockenpiel Tower
The Rathaus-Glockenpiel comes to life everyday at 11:00 and 12:00 as well as 17:00 from March to October. The Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage between Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine. The Glockenspiel also features a joust with life sized knights on horseback between Bavaria and Lothringen. Bavaria always wins!
Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall hosts the city's administrative offices and a Toy Museum. It was the original government building of Munich until the construction of the New Town Hall in 1874. The Old Town Hall was damaged during the World War II bombings and was restored to its 15th century design.
Heilig Geist Kirche
Theatine Church
Heilig Geist Kirche (Church of the Holy Ghost) is one of the oldest churches in Munich dating back to the 13th century built in Gothic style.
The 17th century Theatine Church (also now known as the Dominican Priory of St. Cajetan since 1954) is a Catholic church built in Italian high-Baroque style as a symbol of gratitude for the birth of a long-awaited heir to the Bavarian crown.
Max Joseph Platz
Max Joseph Platz is a large square named after King Maximilian Joseph with a bronze statue centrally located in the square and is home to the Residenz Palace and the National Theatre.
National Theatre
The National Theatre is home to the Bavarian State Opera, Bavarian State Orchestra and the Bavarian State Ballet.
Odeonsplatz
The 19th century Odeonsplatz square is named after the former concert hall, the Odeon and was the location of the battle which ended the march on the Feldherrnhalle during Hitler's 1923 Beer Hall Putsch.
Feldherrnhalle
The Feldherrnhalle was commissioned in 1841 by King Ludwig I to honor the tradition of the Bavarian Army and is modeled after the Loggia della Signoria in Florence, Italy.
Karlstor Gate
The Karlstor gate is one of the three remaining original outer gates that lead into the city during the Middle Ages. The gate is located on the Karlsplatz which is often referred to as Stachus square. Today it is a pedestrian zone full of shops leading to the Marienplatz.
Viktualienmarkt
Viktualienmarkt is Munich's central daily food market open to the public Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:00 and a Biergarten which opens at 9:00. There are special opening and closing hours for flower shops, bakeries and restaurants with some stalls closing at 18:00.
Biergartens
Biergartens date back to the 19th century and are a wonderful place to unwind, eat, drink beer and mingle. The Biergarten located in the Viktualienmarkt has six breweries supplying beer: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Spaten.
Eisbach Surfing
The waves on the man-made Eisbach river at the entrance to the Englischer Garten allows for an amazing river surfing experience. This popular site attracts surfers and tourists from around the world. The strong force of water emerging from a small channel generates a standing wave about 1 meter tall. Surfers stand along the banks waiting their turn in full-body wetsuits which are designed for all weather temperatures allowing them to surf year round. People gather around the banks and the bridge to applaud the surfers.
