Munich is one of the most interesting cities in Germany. The capital of Bavaria has many treasures. You won't be short of things to see and do in Munich. You will not get bored!
The Bavarian city has a great history and a privileged location to discover one of the most beautiful regions in Europe.
It's no secret that I'm a bit obsessed with palaces and castles. And Germany is the perfect place to discover very magical places.
We headed to the Bavarian region not only to discover the Palaces and Castles, but to get to know its natural landscapes, and our first stop was Munich.
In this post, what to see in Munich, where to stay and some essential excursions that you should include in your itinerary.
15 ESSENTIAL THINGS TO SEE IN MUNICH, GERMANY
1. Start by visiting the city of Munich on a free tour
The city of Munich is the capital of Bavaria, and it is a place steeped in history. One of the best things to do in Munich is to get to know the city with a guided tour. Plus it's free!
There are several interesting free tours to do in Munich:
2. Be impressed by the Marienplatz square
Marienplatz Square is one of the most beautiful places in the city. Here is the Neus Rathaus (the new town hall). There are many shops and restaurants, which make this place the most atmospheric square in Munich. All the buildings that surround the square are beautiful.
In the square there is also the Column of Santa Maria, the Fischbrunnen fountain and the old town hall, a Gothic building, with a medieval interior, more than 500 years old.
3. Odeonsplatz, the triumphal entrance to the city
The Odeonsplatz Square, also known as Odeon, was designed to be the triumphal entrance to the city. It is surrounded by majestic buildings and essential places to visit;
Feldherrnhalle, this building with an unpronounceable name is the symbol of honor of the Bavarian army. It was designed in 1841 and is the most prominent place in the square.
Another of the buildings that stands out in the square is the Church of the Teatrinos, it is a Rococcó-style church, with a yellow façade, which attracts a lot of attention.
Here you can also visit Hofgarten, a beautiful Italian-style garden, ideal for a calm walk and disconnect from the bustle of the city.
4. Munich Cathedral
The Cathedral of Our Lady in Munich is one of the largest Gothic buildings in Germany. It was built on the remains of an ancient Roman basilica between 1468 and 1525.
The exterior of the cathedral was built in red brick, giving it a certain simple air. Years later, two towers covered by peculiar green domes were built.
Most of the interior of the temple was destroyed during World War II, but some treasures still remain, such as the altar of Saint Andrew, some of the stained glass windows, or the tomb of Emperor Louis IV of Bavaria.
One of the most curious details inside is what is known as the “Devil's Footprint”. an imprint that according to legend was left by the devil during his swift flight when he discovered that he had been deceived by the builder of the temple.
And although it may seem like a simple and not very pretty cathedral, it has a unique charm and is an essential stop to make in Munich.
You can see all the places in the historic center, including a stop at the Munich Cathedral with the Guided tour of Munich.
5. Hofbräuhaus Brewery
The Hofbräuhaus brewery has become Munich's star brewery.
In 1589 it began as a brewery that supplied the Wittelsbach family. In 1828 the brewery was transferred and the brewery opened to the public by decree.
The brewery was an important meeting place in the political world. Thus being a witness to important moments such as the proclamation of the Soviet Republic in Munich or the 25 points by which the Nazi party would be governed.
6. Viktualienmarkt
This famous market in Munich, had its origins in Marienplatz, where the peasants offered fresh products and cereals to the inhabitants of the city.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Marienplatz square became too small, and the market was transferred to its current situation. At present, the market has basically been used for the sale of gourmet and organic foods. It is a very lively place, where you can buy local products and eat.
7. Munich Residence
The Munich Residence is the largest city palace in Germany. And it was the residence of the Bavarian monarchs between 1385 and 1918.
It was built in 1385 as a modest castle, over time it was transformed into La Residencia, a luxurious complex with 130 rooms and 10 patios. In addition to several common areas.
The Residence has numerous rooms of great beauty decorated with valuable tapestries and artistic elements. Some of the most notable places are the Cuvilliés theater, in the Rococcó style. The antiquarium, an antique room located in an impressive Renaissance room. And the Treasury, an extensive collection containing royal and lame regalia of the royal family since the Middle Ages.
It is one of the essential visits to do in Munich, and I advise you to take a guided tour of the Munich Residence, to learn about the history of the place, the anecdotes and some somewhat spicy details about the royal family that resided in the Palace. The visit costs about 20 euros and is worth it.
8. Nymphenburg Palace
This beautiful palace was built as a Summer Palace for the Wittelsbach family. It was built in the year 1664 in a baroque style.
The interior of the palace still conserves the decoration of the time, you will be able to appreciate impressive frescoes, collections of portraits, a huge Rococo-style ballroom and several of its rooms.
The Garden is marked by an English style, with 800,000 square meters, no less. Over the years the garden was adapting to the different styles and was pressing the size until it reached what it is today. The garden has many buildings that are worth visiting:
Amalienburg, a small rococo palace. Independent to the Palace.
Pagodenburg: This building was built to be used as a resting place after Mailspiel games. A game that was played at the time, similar to golf.
Badenburg: An impressive pavilion, noted for its baths.
Magdalenenklause: It is a hermitage, the Hermitage of La Magdalena. A small religious temple.
9. Church of St. Peter
In the center of Munich is the Peterskirche, Church of Saint Peter. Inside the church there is a mixture of styles, with Gothic, Baroque and Rococo elements.
It stands out for the altar, the frescoes on the ceiling and for a small chapel on the left, where there is a skeleton of Santa Munditia, covered in gold and precious stones.
Its tower has a height of 56 meters. And it is undoubtedly one of the best viewpoints in the city.
10. The Church of Assam
The Asamkirche Church was built in the 18th century by the Asam brothers, in a mix of styles; baroque and rococo
Initially it was built for the private use of the Asam family, but due to protests from the citizens, it was finally opened to the public.
The Church is wedged between two buildings. Inside you will not find a single space without decoration. Multiple frescoes, rich stuccos and attractive woodwork decorated with golden tones. It is a small church, but very striking and worth visiting to visit.
11. Munich Museums
In the city you will find many museums. The most prominent are: the Deutsches Museum, the BMW Museum, the City Museum, the Bavarian National Museum, the Brandhorst Museum, the Jewish Museum and the Glyptotek, among others. If you have time, you can combine your visit to the city with some of these museums.
I only had time to visit the Bavarian National Museum. It has 13.00 square meters, where you can find Renaissance and Baroque works, ancient art, weapons, armor, musical instruments, Gothic sculptures, porcelain pieces... It's a huge museum! We spent more than two hours walking through its rooms. It is a very interesting museum and if you feel like visiting it, the entrance costs 12 euros.
12. The English Garden
One of the most beautiful places in the city is the Englischer Garten. With just over 400 hectares, it is one of the largest urban gardens in the world. And without a doubt, it is the lung of the city and the best place to disconnect.
It has 78 kilometers of trails for walking, cycling. It has landscaped areas, a 35-meter-tall Chinese pagoda, a Greek-style temple dating from 1836, and a Japanese teahouse.
The park is crossed by a large artificial channel, known as the Eisbach. in which there is a particularly striking area due to its waves that many people take advantage of to surf.
If you feel like visiting another park in the city, the Olympiapark and the Hofgarten are also impressive.
13. Schleissheim Palace
It is a palace located in the city of Oberschleissheim. It was built as a summer residence for the sovereigns of Bavaria. In this Palace 3 constructions are grouped; The Old Palace, the New Palace and the Recreation Palace.
It is not a very popular palace among foreign tourists, and that means that you can walk around it with complete peace of mind.
The three Baroque and Rococo-style Palaces have ballrooms, areas adapted for a museum (the Bavarian porcelain gallery is spectacular), galleries, spectacular staircases, a theater room, frescoes and a number of works of art everywhere.
EXCURSIONS TO DO FROM MUNICH
There are two excursions that leave from Munich, essential on your trip.
14. Neuschwanstein Castle
This castle is a stunning fairy tale castle!
It was commissioned by the Mad King. Despite its medieval appearance, this castle was built including many modern features for the time. It had central hot air heating, electric light, hot and cold running water, automatic drains and a telephone line. The Castle has 200 rooms. Some used as common rooms. The most notable are the Throne Room, the Singers' Room, the king's bedroom and the chapel. If you feel like visiting the castle you can visit it by renting a car.
You can also do a very complete excursion from Munich. In which you will have included transportation, the guide in Spanish and the entrance to the castle.
15. Dachau concentration camps
Just 13 kilometers from Munich, is the Dachau concentration camp. It was built in 1933 to become the first official concentration camp.
Although at first Dachau was used to lock up political prisoners, it soon began to fill up with Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Between the years 1933 and 1945, more than 200,000 prisoners were interned, of whom thousands died.
Over the course of twelve years, the camp's prisoners performed forced labor on a day-to-day basis, be it construction and craft projects, building roads, draining swamps, or producing weapons.
Faced with the imminent arrival of the American forces, the Germans decided to take more than 7,000 prisoners on a death march in which many died of hunger, cold and exhaustion, or were shot.
On April 29, 1945, this bloody and horrible chapter of history came to an end when American troops liberated the Dachau concentration camp.
The best way to get to know this place, all the history and tour the enclosure is to do it with a guided tour. This guided tour includes a guide in Spanish, transportation and entrance.
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PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Munich very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!
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