Munich is the capital of beer and a famous historical and cultural city. It’s associated with many major events in the modern history of mankind and is the third largest city in Germany. It’s easy to make people imagine that it’s a modern metropolis with tall buildings, which isn’t true. Munich is an idyllic and beautiful city with mountains and waters. You will find the reasons to stay here: the ancient city, the world-class museums, the unique Bavarian food and the colorful nightlife.
1. Munich Marion Square
The Marion Square is the heart of Munich and is therefore the place that travelers must visit. The Marion Square was served as a market before 1807. Most of the buildings around the square today were built in the 19th and 20th centuries. There is a pillar of the Virgin in the middle of the square that is for expressing the gratitude and love for the Virgin Mary. There is a fish spring in the northeast corner of the square. In the past, it was the place where the butcher apprentices held the ceremony. The northwest of Marion Square is the Marion Church; the new town hall is on the north side of the Marion Square; and the Old Town Hall is on the east side of the square. The new town hall is a beautiful Gothic building with a famous clock on the towering bell tower. It appears the scene of the William V wedding ceremony when the clock rings. There are two rows of dolls that turn in turn, which is especially vivid.
2. New City Hall
The new town hall was completed in three phases and the construction period lasted from 1867 to 1904. The clock tower on the west side of the new town hall is also one of Munich’s most iconic landmarks. At the same time, the bell tower of the New Town Hall is the commanding height of the Old Town except the Marion Church. The elevation of other buildings cannot exceed the height of the clock tower. The “Dance” on the bell tower is the fourth largest puppet dance in Europe and has long enjoyed a good reputation. At 11 o’clock, 12 o’clock and 17 o’clock, the copper man decorated with the glaze at the upper part of the clock perform the scene of the knight competition and the lower copper people perform the dance of the hoops.
3. BMW Museum
The BMW factory is to the north of the Olympic Park. The famous BMW “four-cylinder building” stands here. The circular building on the west side of the four-cylinder building is the BMW Museum, which showcases the development of BMW from the motorcycle and aircraft engine manufacturers to the automotive industry giants.
The very modern building on the west side of the museum is the BMW World. It’s a comprehensive interactive venue that combines display, sales and delivery. On the first floor, BMW’s full range of vehicles are on display; and on the second floor, BMW motorcycles are on display.
4. Munich Royal Palace
In 1385, the Wittelsbach family began to build the palace. The size of the palace was growing over time. The Grand Dukes, monarchs and kings of Bavaria lived here until 1918. The Royal Palace is located in the heart of Munich and it’s the largest indoor palace in Germany currently opened to visitors. The palace displays its architecture, internal decorations and royal collections. The palace is made up of ten courtyards and museums with 130 exhibition rooms. The three main parts are the King’s Hall near Max-Joseph Square, the old palace facing the Royal Palace Street, the part facing the Royal Palace Garden such as the Old Royal Palace Theatre, the Treasure Hall and so on. Visitors do appreciate the heritage of the 5th century royal residence.
5. Allianz Arena
Whether it’s the Bundesliga, the European Championships or the international competitions, every game here is unforgettable. It’s definitely the best choice to watch a match here if you want to experience the fierce and exciting atmosphere with 65,000 spectators and you want to listen to the deafening shouts and the passionate songs of the fans. The Allianz Arena is also one of the most modern stadiums in Europe and is recognized as one of the most beautiful venues. It is also home to Bayern Munich and Munich 1860. When Bayern Munich use it as the main venue, the appearance of the stadium become the main color of the Bayern Munich team – red; while it turns blue if the Munich 1860 team plays there.
6. Nymphenburg Palace
Nymphenburg Palace is located in the west of Munich and it’s built in 1675. In 1644, the prince Ferdinand Maria was delighted with the birth of his son. To celebrate the birth of the little prince, Ferdinand Maria and his wife decided to construct this summer palace in the west of Munich. After more than 300 years of construction, the original ornamental garden has been expanded into a luxurious palace with Baroque gardens, shuttle ditches and dotted pavilions. The main building of the palace is splendid. The two floors are symmetrical and hierarchical. In addition to the Nymphenburg Palace, there are three palaces in the Nymphenburg Palace, the Amarin Palace, the Bath Palace and the Pagoda Palace.
7. Marion Church
The church of Marion was built in 1488 and was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War and rebuilt in 1953. The church is a post-gothic brick building with two bell towers about 98 meters high and the north side is slightly higher than the south side. The South Tower is opened to the public for climbing to the top of the tower where you can see the Alps and the city of Munich on a sunny day. In 1525, the church spire was changed to a bronze Italian bell-shaped dome because of the spread of the Renaissance style to Bavaria. The interior of the church was also remodeled in accordance with the Renaissance style, but in 1858 it was changed back to Gothic style. Walking into the church, you will feel the rich medieval style and you will find that all kinds of solemn icons, sculptures and stained glass windows are very exquisite. There is also the famous “Devil’s Footprint” legend that a black mark can be seen on the floor in front of the entrance, It is said that we cannot see the windows at the edge of the church if we step on it.
8. Deutsches Museum
The Deutsches Museum is located at the Museum Island. The full name of the Deutsches Museum is the German Museum of Natural Science and Technology. It was built in 1925 and it’s the world’s largest museum of natural science and technology. There are more than 28,000 pieces of exhibits with a large number of originals and reproductions. The collection also covers models of various scales and 19th century popular perforated painting. The idea of its founder Oscar von Miller who is the pioneer of Bavarian electrification is that visitors come here to touch and discover the museum. Therefore, many visitors can understand intuitively the science via vivid models even as laymen. What shouldn’t be missed is the first electric locomotive, the first jet aircraft, the 1906 U1 submarine, the 1885 Mercedes engine and the 1891 Semele steam car etc. This museum is definitely the highest recommended for science and technology lovers.
9. St. Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s Church is the oldest church in Munich’s inner city. As early as 1158, the church was built here before Munich was built. The monks lived around the church on the hill at the 8th century. At the end of the 12th century, a new Bavarian Romanesque church was built that was expanded to Gothic style shortly before it was destroyed by fire in 1327. Since then, a new church was built in 1368. At the beginning of the 17th century, a 92-meter-high Renaissance spire and a baroque choir seat were added. The most amazing thing is to climb up to the top of the church along the narrow stairs and overlook the entire city of Munich!
10. English Garden
The English Garden is located outside the Old Town in Munich and extends northward to the city’s borders. It is one of the largest gardens in the world and has a beautiful view. The English garden was later cut off when the Central Ring Road was built in Munich, so the English garden is now generally referred to as the southern half of the garden. The English Garden was built in 1789. There are more than 100 bridges in the park. The total length of the trail is 78 kilometers. The landmark building is a circular temple built on the hillside and a Chinese tower. There’s the famous beer garden under the Chinese tower. The English Garden is a great place to experience the casual atmosphere of Munich citizens.
