From
The World Cup in Germany.com
An overview of Munich
By
Nov 1, 2005, 11:02
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| One of many colourful lions in Munich |
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Munich is the capital of the German 'Free State' of Bavaria in the south-east of the country. Munich's 1.3m population makes it Germany's third largest city, after Berlin and Hamburg. With Bavaria at one time having been an independent state in its own right, Munich has the air of a great European capital. Now home to major companies such as Siemens and BMW, Munich also has an easy-going, southern European cosmpopolitan feel and is hugely popular with tourists.
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The city near the monks?
The first documentary evidence of Munich, or 'Villa Munichen', dates from 1158, when Henry the Lion established a settlement here as a toll collection point for crossing the river Isar. It is unclear whether the city's name stems from the German for monks (Mönchen) and related to a nearby monastery, or to an old European word 'Munica', meaning 'place on the riverbank'. In 1180, Otto of Wittelsbach became Duke of Bavaria and his heirs, the Wittelsbach dynasty, went on to rule Bavaria until 1918.
Capital of Bavaria
By the late 18th century, the city was growing very quickly and was one of the largest in Europe. In 1806, it became the capital of the new Kingdom of Bavaria.
Many of the city's finest buildings belong to the period thereafter and were built under the reigns of Ludwig I and Maximilian II (e.g. the buildings on Ludwigstrasse, the |
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Königsplatz and the Residenz). |
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A genuine local character! |
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A city ill at ease
After World War I, the city was at the centre of much unrest. In November 1918, communists took power and established the Bavarian Soviet Republic (Münchner Räterepublik). This was subsequently put down on May 3, 1919 by the militarist Freikorps, many of whom were later drawn to Adolf Hitler and National Socialism. In 1923 Hitler and his supporters, then concentrated in Munich, staged the Beer Hall Putsch, an attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic and seize power.
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Munich's darkest years
But the revolt failed, resulting in Hitler's arrest and the temporary crippling of the Nazi Party, which was virtually unknown outside Munich. However, the city was to become a Nazi stronghold again when they took power in Germany in 1933. Because of its importance to the rise of Nazism, the Nazis called it Hauptstadt der Bewegung ('capital of the movement'). The NSDAP headquarters were in Munich and many Führerbauten ('Führer buildings') were built around the Königsplatz, some of which have survived to this day.
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Bavaria's location within Germany |
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Old character retained
The city was very heavily damaged by allied bombing during World War II, but after American occupation in 1945 was completely rebuilt with - unlike many other war - ravaged German cities - much of its pre-war character retained.
1972 Olympics
Munich witnessed tragic scenes
in 1972, when the city staged the |
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| Part of the 1972 Olympic complex |
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Olympic Games. Five Israeli athletes and a German policeman were killed by Palestinian terrorists who took members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage in the Olympic village.
On a happier note, the same Olympic stadium complex staged several games during the 1974 Soccer World Cup, including the final in which West Germany beat Holland 2-1. |
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Some of the sights you might like to see are covered on the following pages:
| For details of other things to see and do, see the Munich tourist office website or Munich's official website's World Cup section (both in English).
See our Munich guides shop page for a selection of 11 city guides.
See also Expedia.co.uk for Munich hotels, flights and rental cars .
The World Cup in Germany.com - For fans, by fans
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