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Munich
Munich, located in the state of Bavaria, is a beautiful city with many historical and architectural wonders. Munich - with its 1.35 million inhabitants - is the capital of Germany, and Germany's third largest city.
The city was founded by Benedictine monks sometime before 1158. Its name in German, München, comes from the old German word mönche, which means monks. Munich was officially granted city status in 1175.
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A popular attraction is the Marienplatz - or St. Mary's Square. The Marienplatz was a marketplace during the Middle Ages, and is located in the heart of Munich. Located in the square is the Mariensäule (Column of St. Mary), built in 1638. And bordering the square is the magnificent Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) - an impressive structure, built between 1867 and 1909 in the Flemish Gothic style, with its famous Glockenspiel (pictures #2 and #3 above). And not far from the square is the Viktualienmarkt - Munich's large and colorful food market, a sampling of which is pictured below.
Another popular attraction is Munich's oldest church, Peterskirche (St. Peter's church). Built in 1180, the church began in the Gothic style, but Baroque and Rococo additions were made over the centuries. Nearly destroyed in WWII, the church's reconstruction began shortly thereafter and was completed in 2000.
St. Peterskirche has a website at "erzbistum-muenchen.de/stpetermuenchen" (take the Google translate option). The site is not for tourists, but it does list the hours of worship, and has some history. The official Munich website below also has information about St. Peter's Church, including the hours that the church and tower are open for visitors.
Visitors are allowed to walk up the 306 steps of the tower of Peterskirche to experience fabulous views of the city! One of Munich's most famous landmarks, seen prominently from the tower, is Frauenkirche (Cathedral Church of Our Lady) - built in the 15th century and dedicated to Unserer Lieben Frau (Our Beloved Woman.) - pictures #5 and #6 above.
Also easily seen from the tower of St. Peter's church is the Altes Rathaus, or Old Town Hall (picture #5 above), reconstructed after the Second World War. The first Town Hall - originally used as a dance hall - was a gothic structure built in the 15th century to the plans of Jörg v. Halsbach, who also designed Munich's Frauenkirche. The hall contained impressive art and sculptures - replicas are on display as the originals, which have thankfully survived, are on display at the Stadtmuseum, or City Museum.
If time permits, visit the Munich Stadtmuseum. Information regarding permanent exhibits, special exhibits, hours, and admission fee can be found at www.stadtmuseum-online.de/ (take the Google translate option).
One of Europe's most significant cultural museums is the Bavarian National Museum. The museum contains famous artifacts not only from Bavaria, but from all of Europe. And the museum building is an impressive jewel from the late 1800s.
Reserve time in your schedule to visit the Munich Residence (Residenz) complex - the massive, former palace of the Bavarian monarchs, located in the north-east corner of downtown Munich. The first structure on the site was built in 1385, and atop this structure many additions were made over the centuries - representing styles of the late Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Classicism.
If you plan on spending quite a bit of time in Bavaria, visit the very nice website of the Bavarian Palace Department - an important government agency that manages about 100 castles, palaces, residences, historic gardens, and parks in Bavaria. After clicking the English option, you will see a map of the properties it manages, and links to informative webpages for each property.
Important: If you plan on visiting a lot of the properties, you can save money on admission fees by purchasing a 14-day pass. From the homepage, click the link above the map. On the next page, click the "annual season tickets and 14-days-tickets" link. Not all castles are represented, but their properties do include Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace and Park, the Würzburg Residenz and Court Garden, the Marienberg Fortress in Würzburg, and various properties in Munich.
Munich has a fine U-Bahn (subway), many outdoor cafes, and numerous other attractions. Spending one or more days in Munich is highly recommended. Visit Munich's official website.