Munich is Germany's third largest city and one of Europe's most prosperous cities. The city has a population of about 1.3 million and the Munich metropolitan area is home to around 3 million people. The city is located on the River Isar north of the Bavar
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Munich is a popular tourist destination and has been described as Germany's
âsecret capitalâ. Centre of the city is the
Marienplatz with the Old and the New Town Halls, its tower contains as attraction the
Rathaus-Glockenspiel, an ornate clock with almost life-sized moving figures that show scenes from a medieval jousting tournament as well as a performance of the famous
âBarrel-makers' danceâ.
The
Peterskirche is the oldest church of the inner city. Around this church
Munich grew as a settlement of monks before the city was officially founded in 1158.
The
Frauenkirche is the most famous building in the city centre. This is
Munich's central cathedral and is famous for the brass onion domes that top the twin towers. The domes were added in the 16th century not matching the gothic style of the building and thus giving it a somewhat peculiar style-mix.
The city has several important art museums. Before World War I, it was also the site of the
Blaue Reiter group of artists, many of which can be seen at the
Lenbachhaus.
Other famous tourist attractions include the
Deutsches Museum (Germany's largest science museum) and the
English Garden, a garden park roughly in the centre of the city that contains a nudist area, jogging tracks and bridle-paths.
The
Olympic Park with its stadium was built for the
1972 Summer Olympics which were held in
Munich. The Olympic buildings are famous for their design, which was inspired by dew-covered cobwebs. Visitors can be elevated to the top of the Olympic Tower, which is also an important radio and TV broadcasting tower.
Perhaps
Munich's most famous attraction is the
Oktoberfest, a 2-week-long fair with many rides and several very large tents. The
Oktoberfest was first held October 12, 1810 in honour of the marriage of crown prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities were closed with a horse race and in the following years the horse races were continued and later developed into what is now known as the
Oktoberfest. Despite its name,
Oktoberfest actually begins in September. It lasts two weeks and always finishes on the
first Sunday in October.
