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Details
Munich (Germany)
Country Flag of Germany Germany

State Bavaria
Admin. region Upper Bavaria
District Urban district
City subdivisions 25 boroughs
Lord Mayor Christian Ude (SPD)
Governing parties SPD / Greens / Rosa Liste München
Basic statistics
Area 310.43 km² (119.9 sq mi)
Elevation 519 m (1703 ft)
Population 1,351,445 (31/12/2007)[1]
- Density 4,353 /km² (11,275 /sq mi)
- Urban ~2,600,000
- Metro ~6,000,000
Founded 1158
Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate M
Postal codes 80331–81929
Area code 089

Coordinates: 48°8′0″N 11°34′0″E / 48.13333, 11.56667

Munich (German: München, pronounced Austro-Bavarian: Minga) is the capital of the German state of Bavaria. Munich is not the only location within Bavaria known as “München”, three locations exist. The one which is known as “Munich”, another which is northeast of the city of Nuremberg, and the final, which is north of the city of Passau.[3] Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps.

Munich is the third largest city in Germany, coming only after Berlin and Hamburg. There are approximately 1.35 million inhabitants within Munich.[4]

The city’s motto is “München mag dich” (”Munich likes you”, but the slogan used in English-speaking nations is: “Munich loves you”). Its native name, München, stems from an Old German word predating the word Mönche of today’s High German, meaning “Monks”. This is the reason that on the the city’s coat-of-arms that figure that is present is a monk. Black and gold - the colors of the Holy Roman Empire - have been the city’s official colors since the time of Ludwig the Bavarian.

The City of Munich, albeit a rather expensive city to live in and travel to, continues to be visited by millions and millions of vacationers, sightseers, travelers, tourists, backpackers, and honeymooners every year. Clearly the small hindrances that a tight budget may throw their way are comparatively insignificant compared to the wonderful sights, sounds, tastes and experiences that a trip to Munich is sure to impart. So the question is, where do these millions of tourists go to in order to discover the true character of Munich? Well, then here is a list of the top 3 tourist destinations you should not miss when in beautiful Munich, Germany.

1. Munich Beer Gardens

Yes, Munich would not be Munich without its reputation of being one of the best places in the planet to enjoy beer. A Biergärten or beer garden is something you will rarely find anywhere else but in Germany. But the question is, what is a beer garden.

Several centuries ago, beer brewers in Munich had trouble keeping their barrels upon barrels of delicious beer cold despite the heat of the summer. Many of them devised a plan of storing the beers in underground cellars, after which they planted chestnut trees on top of these beer cellars. Why you ask? Because the chestnut trees provided shade and coolness, keeping the beers cold in the cellars and also providing some respite from the sun on the ground surface.

King Ludwig I then allowed beer brewers to sell and serve their beers right on these spots but forbade them to sell food along with the drinks. And this became a sort of tradition, people would buy food somewhere else and bring them to a beer garden where they could consume them while gulping down pints of cold beer straight of their barrel. And tourists in Munich can choose from a whopping 400 plus number of beer gardens in this fine, beer-loving city.

2. Munich Art and Culture Sites

Someone very witty once said that Munich is a city nestled between two mountains, one being art and the other is beer. And Munich really is a city that an person with inclination towards the arts would sure to love. It is home to numerous museums of science, art, history, culture, sports and many more fields of study. But not only are they numerous, the Munich museums are also of such fine quality.

The Alte Pinakothek museum for instance is famous for housing the works of classical artists like Rembrant, Raphael, Botticelli and Da Vinci. The Neue Pinakothek on the other hand is home to French impressionist geniuses like Renoir, Monet and Degas while the Pinakothek der Moderne would obviously, be recognized as a haven for modern art works.

The museums and exhibits in Munich are hard to count, but harder yo count still are the number of cathedrals, mansions, palaces, churches, plazas, theaters and galleries that contribute to the preservation and growth of art in Munich, Germany.

3. Munich Historical Sites

Another great feature of the city of Munich is the fact that this German city exudes such a deep sense of history in almost every nook and cranny of this large metropolis. The historic sites range from the gloomy, to the grand, to the fantastic.

The Dachau Memorial Concentration Camp for instance, can be quite a gloomy spot as it is was once the place where thousands of political prisoners were imprisoned, many of which have met their untimely deaths behind these lone, lorn walls. The Munich Olympic Park on the other hand, is a more lively historic spot. This Munich historical attraction has been the venue for summer festivals, musical events, sports competitions and several other festivities. And in itself, it is also a product of architectural genius and fine craftsmanship. And if you are looking for a fantastic historical site in Munich, then there is also the Neuschwanstein Castle which seems to have come from a fairytale book instead of the pages of history. This amazing castle was built by none other than King Ludwig and is also known all over the world to be the inspiration for the whimsical castle in Walt Disney’s Disneyland.