Munich: Day 8

Thursday, September 10th

Today we had a late morning flight from Berlin to Munich and will spend the afternoon exploring the areas immediately surrounding our hotel. Luckily, I found a well-regarded Pension right in the middle of things and can't wait to take it slow after our activity-driven week in Brussels, Bruges, and Berlin.

Munich was sort of a late bloomer in terms of German city standards, as it was founded at the late date of 1158 by a powerful Saxon duke. The duke, Guelph Henry the Lionheart, built a bridge over the river Isar to Munich, which at the time was inhabited only by a group of Benedictine monks. I guess not enough people were using (and paying tolls on) his bridge, so Henry destroyed a nearby crossing in Freising to force traders into Munich. While his plans were very effective, it proved to be political suicide. The Lionhearted Henry was put on trial and in 1180, Otto Wittelsbachs became duke of Bavaria -- the Wittlesbachs continued to rule Bavaria 1918. Between 1330 and 1430, two devastating fires burned down all (or significant parts of) the city that were eventually rebuilt.

In 1506, Munich became the capital of united Bavaria dukedom and remained a relatively modest town. Through a complicated European history and line of ownership, Napoleon granted Munich's expansion as a royal capital in the 19th century with planned boulevards and squares. Munich flourished during this time, acquiring a railway, electricity, and the Technical University. It was also one of the largest continental European cities at the time. World War I and II proved to be rough on Munich, and large portions were damaged by air raids. Following the American occupation in 1945, Munich was meticulously rebuilt, preserving it's pre-war street plan and appearance. Unfortunately, none of the guides I've read have elaborated on exactly which parts are new vs. old. Our itinerary for Munich on Thursday is somewhat flexible and we'll likely stay around town:

Marienplaz and the Glockenspiel: Since its inception, the Marienplatz (a city square) has been the center and heart of Munich with open markets and tournaments in the Middle Ages. Today, the square is dominated by the Neues Rathaus (new City Hall) that was built in 1867. Atop the Rathaus's tower is the Glockenspiel that depicts two historical events in the city: the marriage of Wilhelm V to Renata von Lothringen in 1568 and the first Schäfflertnz (cooper's dance) in 1517 to cheer people up during the plague. The Glockenspiel plays at 11am and 12pm to a crowded square of tourists. I plan on being one of those tourists.

Various Churches in the Altstadt: One thing that I will probably not say when I return from this trip,"I just don't think we saw enough churches." In Munich, our choices include: Peterskirche, which was originally built in 1180, but reconstructed multiple times; the Frauenkirche was constructed between 1468 and 1488 (with the domes constructed in 1525 and modeled on the Dome of the Rock) received a final restoration in 1994 to repair residual damage from WWII; Michaelskirche (pictured here), which was constructed between 1583 and 1597, holds the tombs of the Wittelsbach dynasty and Ludwig II in the crypt; the Theatinerkirche (built in the 1660s); and Ludwigskirche (named after Ludwig II), which is one of Germany's most significant 19th-century churches.

Beer Halls and Gardens: Our most likely course for the day will involve seeing the historic Altstadt one beer at a time. Germany has strict standards (Reinheitsgebot) through beer purity laws established in 1516 by Duke Wilhelm IV. While primarily concerned with fixing beer prices he altered the course of beer-making history by stating that German beer should consist of only three ingredients: hops, barley malt, and water. Specialty beers such as Weizen (wheat beer) are allowed to be brewed with alternative grains.