Munich Guide

From the elegance of its grand boulevards to the brass bands that perform at the beer halls, visitors can see immediately that Munich residents know how to enjoy life. Munich is compact and manageable, contains more theatres than any other city in Germany, has a wealth of fine museums, a number of restful and appealing gardens and an ample selection of beer halls.

The central point in the older part of the city is the square known as the Marienplatz. To the north of the square is the tree lined Maxmillian Strasse which leads to the Bavarian Parliament building and the Residenz Palace. Two great art collections, the Old and New Picture Galleries are a short distance northwest of the city center. To the south are the history museum and, on an island in the Isar River, the world's foremost museum of science and technology, the Deutsches (German) Museum.

Central Munich is extremely attractive and is easy to explore on foot. There are innumerable restaurants and caf?s in Munich with a wide range of culinary choices. Window shopping is one of the most popular pastimes all over the city, but especially along the pedestrian only Neuhauser Strasse and Kaufinger Strasse where many fine specialty shops and department stores are located. Maximilian Strasse is lined with designer fashion boutiques, art galleries and jewelers. Antiques and less expensive fashions are concentrated in the student section of Schwabing, and Bavarian crafts can be found in the streets that run off Max Josephplatz. Munich's famous open air market, Virtualienmarkt appears south of Marienplatz every day except Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Its specialties are fresh produce and baked goods of all varieties as well as locally produced cheese.

Officially founded in 1158, Munich (M?nchen) has been the capital of Bavaria since 1503, and as far as the locals are concerned it may as well be the center of the universe. M?nchener pride themselves on their special status; even people who have made Munich their home for most of their lives are still called Zugereiste (newcomers). Natives and newcomers alike consider themselves M?nchener first, Bavarian second and German somewhere way down the line.

Next to Berlin, Munich is Germany's most popular city, with everything you'd expect in a cosmopolitan capital. Yet it's small enough to be digestible in one visit, and it has the added bonus of a storybook setting, with the mountains and Alpine lakes just an hour's drive away. Munich is well known as a center of art and learning. It is the site of a major university and other higher educational and scientific institutes. It is also the seat of the European patent office. It is an attractive city with many fine examples of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and neo-classical architecture.

Munich is a city in which children are welcomed and loved, so provision has been made for their comfort and entertainment. The Englischer Garten is a veritable wonderland for the whole family. In addition to the boating lake, there are broad expanses of manicured lawns and grassy knolls that invite running, rolling over and over, and turning somersaults and cartwheels. Family picnics are everywhere throughout the parks. The Hellabrunn zoo is one of the best in the world. The castles provide opportunities for experiencing the wonder of days gone by, and for exploring rooms in which even whispers echo, to the delight of children. Munich is clean and orderly with completely safe food and water. It is the ideal setting for family travel.

A trip to Germany is not complete without time spent in Munich. There are treasures here that are not found elsewhere. Over the years Bavaria and its capital Munich have maintained their individuality and have produced a rich heritage.

Munich's city symbol is the M?nchener Kindl or "little monk," recalling its origins as a monastic settlement. The first recorded mention of M?nchen, the "home of monks," was in the year 777. The city itself was founded nearly 400 years later by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony.

History of the City of Munich
>From the founding of Munich to its inauguration as the seat of government
1158 Munich is founded by Henry the Lion (official date: June 14th, 1158).
1175 First fortification of Munich is built.
1180 Frederick I Barbarosa gives Bavaria to the Count Palatine Otto von Wittelsbach, whose dynasty rules until 1918.
1214 Munich is referred to as a city for the first time.
1240 Munich passes from the rule of the bishops of Freising to that of the House of Wittelsbach.
1255 Munich becomes capital of the partial duchy of Bavaria.
1328 Munich becomes an imperial city and holds the imperial insignia until 1350.
1504 Munich has 13,500 inhabitants and becomes the capital of the Duchy of Bavaria.
1623 Munich becomes the city of residence of the Electoral Prince of Bavaria.
1705 - 1714 Munich under Hapsburg rule.
1759 Bavarian academy of sciences founded.

Munich in the 19th century
1806 Munich becomes the capital of the Bavarian kingdom.
1808 Bavaria's new constitution enshrines French revolutionary ideals of equality and freedom of conscience, while abolishing serfdom. Many monasteries are secularized.
1818 King Max I Joseph proclaims a more liberal constitution. The Bavarian parliament, the Landtag, sits in Munich, which is also the seat of the new archdiocese of Munich and Freising.
1825 - 1848 King Ludwig I. In 1848 (the King is forced to abdicate because of his affair with an American dancer).
Munich becomes a city of art of world acclaim. The architects Leo von Klenze and Friedrich von G?rtner build the Ludwigstrasse, the K?nigsbau and the Festsaalbau of the Residenz, the K?nigsplatz and the Alte Pinakothek. Klenze builds the Ruhmeshalle - the hall of fame; on the Resienwiese. Schwanthaler erects the "Bavaria" statue.
1826 The University of Landshut is moved to Munich.
1848 - 1864 King Maximilian II successfully negotiates the problems caused by rivalry between Austria and Prussia.
Development of the Maximilian Style in architecture.
1864 - 1886 King Ludwig II.
Music, arts and crafts flourish. The King idolized Richard Wagner and became his patron in Munich, sponsoring world premieres of several of his musical dramas.
1882 Munich hosts the first German electricity exhibition and heralds the introduction of electric light to the city
1886 Ludwig II is declared insane; the throne passes to his brother who is also found to be unfit to rule. Otto's uncle, Luitpold is declared regent and governs until his death in 1912.

Munich in the 20th century
1901 Munich has 500,000 inhabitants
1907 Peter Ostermayr establishes his film production company (movie production center Geiselgasteig).
1911 The Hellabrunn zoo is opened.
1918 With the end of World War I, Kurt Eisner leads the Bavarian Revolution, deposes King Ludwig III and becomes the first president of the socialist Bavarian republic.
1919 Eisner's assassination in Munich leads to a Communist government which is overthrown in May. This is followed by a bloody coup in which the Communist leaders are assassinated and Bavaria becomes part of the German Weimar Republic.
1923 Right wing coups in 1920 and 1921 fail as does an attempt by Adolf Hitler's National Socialist (Nazi) party to seize power in the "Munich Putsch."
1930 The first television set in the world is exhibited at the Deutsche Museum.
1935 - 1945 Munich is dubbed the "capital of the Nazi movement".
1939 An attempted assassination of Hitler in the B?rgerbr?ukeller beer garden fails.
1945 Munich is occupied by the Americans (April 30th 1945) and on may 7 Germany surrenders.
1957 Munich has 1 million inhabitants by December 15th.
1958 800th anniversary of Munich.
1972 Olympic Summer games in Munich.
1974 Soccer's World Cup in Munich
1985 175th anniversary of the Oktoberfest.
1986 "Royal Year"
100th anniversary of Ludwig II's death.
200th birthday of Ludwig I.
1989 200th anniversary of the English Garden.
400th anniversary of Munich's Hofbr?uhaus (court brewery).
The reunification of Germany!
1992 Opening of the new "Franz-Josef Strauss" airport.
1994 500th anniversary of the Cathedral Church of Our Lady, Munich's landmark.
2000 Munich's population is 1,298,537

Population:
1,298,537

Tourism:
17 million visitors annually

Area:
120 sq. mi.

Elevation:
1738 above sea level

Geographic location:
48 degrees 8'23" northern latitude; 11 degrees 34'28" eastern longitude.

Time Zone:
Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour (two hours in summer): Time in Munich is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in New York. (7 hours ahead of central time in Chicago, etc.) Munich uses the 24 hour clock, so the numeral 1 on a US watch would be read as 1 in the early morning or 13 in the afternoon, etc. Transportation timetables and schedules will use this method of representation of time. (designations of am and pm are unnecessary)

International Dialing Code:
The country code for Germany is 49. There is no need to use this prefix when calling within the country. To call Germany from the United States or Canada, omit the first 0 from the German number and add the prefix 011 49.

Emergency numbers:
Police 110 Fire 112 Ambulance 110. Emergency calls are free from phone booths.

The German climate is variable so it's best to be prepared for all types of weather throughout the year. The most pleasant and predictable weather is from May to October. This coincides, of course, with the standard tourist season (except for skiing). The interim periods can bring fewer tourists and surprisingly pleasant weather. There is no special rainy season.

Useful measurements:
Equivalent Weights And Measures
1 cm 0.39 inches
1 meter 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
1 km 0.62 miles
1 liter 0.26 gallons
1 inch 2.54 cm
1 foot 0.39 meters
1 yard 0.91 meters
1 mile 1.60 km
1 gallon 3.78 liters

Visas:
US travelers just need a valid passport (no visa).

Electricity:
220V, 50 Hz Electrical sockets take plugs with two round prongs or sometimes three. American appliances will need a plug adapter and will require a transformer if they do not have a dual voltage capability. Most hotels will supply guests with an ironing board and iron if requested.

Travelers with special needs:
Information is available from Hilfe f?r Behinderte, Kirchfeldstrasse 149, D-39606 D?sseldorf 1. tel. 0211 310 060.
For the blind: the Bayerischer Blindungsbund EV in Munich is at Arnulfstrasse, near the main railway station) and is open Mon-Thurs 8:30-noon and 1-3:30 Fri. 8:30-noon and 1-2.

Culture and education in Munich:
10 Universities with 98.202 Students
136 public libraries with 47 city libraries
46 museums and collections
2 opera houses and 58 theatres

Currency:
Germany's currency is the Deutsche mark (DM) which is divided into 100 pfennigs (Pf). The denominations of Deutsche mark bills are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000. There are coins of 2,5,10,50Pf and 1,2 and 50DM. The Euro became the official currency of Germany in 1999 and will totally replace DM and Pf by 2002.

Credit Cards:
All the major international brands of bank cards - MasterCard, Visa and American Express - are recognized but not yet widely accepted, except at major hotels, gas stations and department stores. Don't assume that you'll be able to use your card to pay for meals at restaurants. ATMs are numerous throughout Germany and there should be no problem accessing credit or debit accounts in this way. Foreign currency can be exchanged at banks and special exchange shops in Munich.

Tipping:
Tips are not normally given or expected, but a customer can tip for excellent service. The usual tip would be 10%.

Airport:
Munich's new airport, Franz Josef Strauss Flughafen, is 19 miles north of the city center and is connected to the train station (Hauptbahnhof) by S-Bahn #1 or #8. S-Bahn trains run 24 hours a day to the main railroad station.

Bus:
The bus station is close to the train station.

U-Bahn:
(Subway) runs daily from 5am-1am.

S-Bahn:
(suburban train network) covers the city center and beyond as does the U-Bahn. Service is efficient and on time.

Day Tickets:
Day tickets for all public transport in the city center cost DM 9 (for the whole system DM 18); a weekly pass covering the centre and most of Schwabing costs DM15.50. Note that these passes are valid from Monday to Monday, so buying midweek means losing money. Tickets for a week o more require ID and two photos; all others can be bought from the automatic machines in all U-Bahn stations, at some bus and tram stops, and inside trams. If you're making several journeys across the city, it's far more economical to invest in a strip card (DM14 for ten strips), and stamp two strips for every zone crossed - the zones are shown on maps at stations and tram and bus stops. For journeys of up to two S- or U-Bahn stops, or up to four bus or tram stops, only one strip needs to be cancelled. There's also a DM6 children's strip card, for which it is only necessary to cancel one strip per trip. Tickets must be stamped before any journey - those without a validated ticket face an on-the-spot DM60 fine.

Car:
A car is unnecessary in Munich and the surrounding area. The transportation network is amazing in its efficiency and extent. Public transportation via bus, subway and train is available throughout the city and into all of the surrounding area. There are numerous connections to cities throughout Germany and the rest of Europe.

January:
6 January Festival of the Three Kings is celebrated in Bavaria with children dressing the part and walking through the streets singing songs.
Fasching (Carnival) is also held at this time with celebrations, parties and fancy dress balls. This pre-Lenten revelry begins on  Sunday, January 7 and lasts for about 4-6 weeks, ending with Shrove Tuesday celebrations the day before Lent begins.

February:
Mardi Gras (the Tuesday before the beginning of Lent) opens with the Market Women's Dance on Virtualienmarkt followed by celebrations throughout Munich.
February 12-14 Munich fashion Week
CBR holiday trade fair attracts thousands at the ICM fairgrounds.

March:
19 March St. Joseph's Day is the start of the Starkbierzeit (Strong Beer season).
Politicians gather at the Nockherberg Paulaner Brewery to drink freshly tapped dark beer.
The International Crafts Fair is held with every type of craft represented.

May:
1 May Auer Maidult, an 8 day celebration on Mariahilfplatz is a festival that features flea market treasures, antiques, and a wide variety of baked goods.
Thursday after Whitsun (8th Sunday after Easter): Feast of Corpus Christi begins at 8AM with a religious service on Marienplatz followed by a procession through the decorated streets.
BMW Open Bavarian Tennis championship matches.
Union Move is a techno demonstration that is held on a Saturday afternoon on Leopoldstrasse.

June:
2nd weekend: Tollwood, an international festival of dance, theater, circus and cuisine which is held in the Olympiapark. Goes through second weekend in July.
end of June: International Film Festival

July:
Munich's Open Festival is held throughout the month. It includes ballet, concerts, and recitals.
Art Open Air presents performances on K?nigsplatz throughout the month.
The Jakobidult summer market is held on Mariahilfplatz for 8 days.

August:
Summer Festival is held in the Olympiapark with a fair and music ranging from classical to pop on the Olympia Lake Theatron stage.

September:
Oktoberfest begins on the third weekend in September and lasts until the first Sunday of October. (Sept. 22- Oct. 7, 2001). It began as a horserace just outside the city gates celebrating the marriage of Bavarian crown prince Ludwig and Princess Theresa von Sachsen-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The race was repeated in 1811 and an agricultural fair was added to the festivities. On both occasions the prince served beer to the attendees and a tradition was born. The meadow where the race took place was named Theresienwiese after the Princess. It is now usually shortened to "Wies'n" The huge folk festival begins on the last Saturday in September after a variety of parades and ceremonies and after weeks of preparation. Huge beer hall tents are in place, rides and carnival attractions have been installed,. and finally the Mayor of Munich taps the first barrel of beer in front of the crowd. He announces: "O zapt is!" (It's been tapped) and another Oktoberfest has begun. The festivities last for 15 days. During this time 6 million participants consume over one million gallons of beer.

October:
The Herbstdult, the third market 8 day market festival of the year is held on Mariahilfplatz.

November:
Christkindlmarkt: Starting at the end of November after the 1st Sunday in Advent, every evening at 5:30 classic Christmas music is played as a backdrop to the Christmas market on Marienplatz. St. Nick visits also.
Six day bicycle races are held in the Olympic Hall.

December:
Christkindl markets continue throughout the city until Christmas.
Tollwood: The winter Tollwood festival is held near Hacker Bridge, behind the main train station.