Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Squeeze Alpine style into lederhosen or a dirndl at a folk costume empori-
um such as Holareidulijö (
Click here
)
Watch daredevil surfers negotiate an urban wave in the English Garden (
History
It was the Benedictine monks, drawn by fertile farmland and the closeness to Catholic
Italy, who first settled present-day Munich over eight and a half centuries ago. They also
gave the city its name - München is medieval German for monk.
In 1240 the city passed to the Wittelsbach dynasty who would run Munich (as well as
Bavaria) until the 20th century. Munich prospered as a centre for the salt trade but was hit
hard by the outbreak of plague in 1349. When the epidemic finally subsided 150 years
later, the
Schäffler
(coopers) began a ritualistic dance to remind residents of their good
fortune. The
Schäfflertanz
is re-enacted daily by the little figures on the city's glocken-
spiel on Marienplatz.
By the early 19th century, furious monument building gave Munich its spectacular ar-
chitecture and wide Italianate avenues. Culture and the arts flourished, but when Ludwig
II ascended the throne his grandiose projects, the numerous lavish palaces for example,
bankrupted the royal house and threatened the government. Ironically, today they are the
biggest money-spinners in Bavaria's booming tourism industry.
By 1901 Munich had a population of half a million souls but last century was a hard
time for most of them. WWI practically starved the city; the Nazis first rose to prominen-
ce here and the next world war nearly wiped the city off the map. The 1972 Olympic
Games ended in tragedy when 17 people were killed in a terrorist hostage-taking incident.
In 2006 the city won a brighter place in sporting history when it hosted the opening game
of soccer's World Cup.
Today Munich's claim to being the secret capital of Germany is alive and well. The city
is recognised for its high living standards, the most millionaires per capita in Germany
after Hamburg and for an appreciation of the good life.
