Everyone traditionally starts exploring the sights of Munich from Marienplatz, which is not surprising – this is the heart of the city. Here, wherever you look, everything breathes baroque luxury and antiquity. The architectural dominant are, of course, the Old and New Town Halls.
Tourists are guaranteed at least a couple of hours of an exciting walk around Marienplatz, since almost every corner of this square is occupied by a souvenir shop or a cozy pub, which beckons you to sit down in the open air with a glass of amber drink. See JIBIN123 for Germany customs regulations and visa requirements.
The religious architecture of Munich should also be given its due. In particular, the amazing Baroque Cathedral of St. Michael attracts attention, where the remains of Ludwig II are buried. One of its towers can be reached by elevator in search of an amazing panorama of old Munich. Another beautiful panorama opens from the observation deck of Peterskirche, the oldest church in the city with a lantern-shaped dome. Finally, it is worth visiting the highest Frauenkirche Cathedral, that is, the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin, built in the 14th-15th centuries.
Another highlight of Munich is museums and parks. It is difficult to imagine the capital of Bavaria without lush green crowns, wild forest areas or regular gardens laid out around the entire center. The best of them are the royal Hofgarten or the shady English Garden, where families with children like to spend time, having picnics, lazily throwing a plate to each other or just enjoying a fine day by one of its reservoirs.
Castles of Munich
Within the city there are two noteworthy “schloss” at once – Nymphenburg and Blutenburg. Nymphenburg Palace is the Bavarian Versailles. Behind the palace is a French park: canals, statues, paths, bridges, benches. In the same place, the Amalienburg wing is a wonder of the world: at the top there is an observation deck, inside the hallway, bedroom, kitchen and living room are all mirrored. A few steps from the main palace is the entrance to the Botanical Garden, one of the best gardens in Germany. Blutenburg is not so good architecturally, but it cannot do without the attention of tourists, because its walls keep the story of forbidden love between the heir to the Duke of Bavaria and the daughter of a simple barber. And, of course, one cannot fail to mention Neuschwanstein, which needs no introduction., located a couple of hours by train from Munich.
Dachau concentration camp
A special, without exaggeration, terrible page in the history of all of Europe. Fortunately, little remains of the Dachau concentration camp (1943-1945): a couple of crematoria and an administrative building. Everything is filled with banners hanging from the ceiling, on which photographs and texts are applied, dryly stating facts – from leave for holidays to experiments on people. Keep in mind, the exposition makes a strong impression, and many people faint by the end of the tour.
Despite the blasphemous assumption that in Munich “not beer alone” – this is true. Local museum collections can compete in the number of masterpieces with some not the most dusty European capital.
Museums in Munich
Despite the blasphemous assumption that in Munich “not beer alone” – this is true. Local museum collections can compete in the number of masterpieces with some not the most dusty European capital. For example, in the Königsplatz area, in a relatively small space, there are as many as three Pinakotheks, a glyptothek (a collection of ancient vessels and statues, mostly in copies) and the Crystal Museum.
The Alte Pinakothek has a chic collection: Brueghel, Dürer, Cranach, Rubens. In the New Pinakothek – 19th century: Cezanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh. The Pinakothek of Modern Art is interesting with changing exhibitions, as well as works by Joseph Beuys. Finally, we advise aesthetes and amateurs to look into the Lenbach House – a villa with an exposition of The Blue Rider in general and Kandinsky in particular. (The branch is at the nearest metro station Konigsplatz, right underground). As well as the City Museum at St. Jacobsplatz and the Film Museum, where good and rare films are shown. The exhibits of the Residence Museum are a grandiose collection of Electoral luxury. Not far from the museum are the park “Hofgarten and Odeonsplatz”, the State Library and the University.
On Sundays, the treasures of all three Munich Pinakotheks are available for a nominal fee of 1 EUR. The same thing happens with the cost of entrance tickets to the Glyptothek, the Antique Collection and the Bavarian National Museum. Here it is, socialism in the flesh – art to the masses!
5 things to do in Munich
- Of course, try all these varieties – light, wheat, dark, unfiltered and as soon as not filtered – in one of the old pubs of the city.
- Climb to the observation deck of St. Michael’s Cathedral on a clear day to see the Alps.
- Give a shake-up to the beer-soaked body in the Lenbach House, contemplating the paintings of Kandinsky, Klee and other geniuses of the Blue Rider group.
- Feel the Munich rhythm of life, lying for an hour on the emerald lawn of the English Garden.
- Visit the same “sausage pot”, “gas cap” or “soup bowl” that houses the most crazy cars of the 21st century – of course, we are talking about a first-class BMW museum.
Munich for children
Parents, take a breath! Munich is an ideal city for tourists with children. In addition to all kinds of playgrounds, equipped as our “soviet” childhood never dreamed of, parks and lakes for pleasant walks, there are even special family pubs open here – with children’s play areas and a multilingual crowd in diapers.
Where to go with children: Hellabrunn Tierpark to pet the kids, feed the pelicans, stare at the falcons and hawks, ride a camel and, in general, get unforgettable memories in the city zoo. SeaLife München in the Olympic Park is basically the same, but in the underwater element (unless you ride a shark). Fans of dinosaurs have a direct road to the Paleontological Museum; parents should be patient, here even half a day is not the limit for die-hard fans of extinct lizards.
A small but interesting and interactive Museum of Man and Nature is open in Nymphenburg Castle. In the Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum), on the contrary, you can’t touch anything, but you can marvel at the toys of centuries past, which our great-grandmothers played with. Finally, the holy of holies is the BMW Museum with “well, such cars that it’s just wow, mom”!
Finally, you should look into the Brauseschwein store (Frundsbergstrasse, 52, near Nymphenburg), which sells everything a child’s soul dreams of: from penny sweets to fantastic wooden trains.
