City of churches and beer bars

Voted as one of the 10 most liveable cities in the world, Munich is celebrating its 850th year, reports Anurag Yadav

MUNICH evokes different images for different people. For some it brings back memories of the attack on athletes at the 1972 Olympics, for others it is the venue of beer-swigging Oktoberfest. Many auto enthusiasts know it as the city that manufactures the BMW cars, while for sport lovers it is the home of the football club Bayern M`FCnchen.

In reality Munich is the sum of all these parts, which have made it a composite city having a past, present and future.

Munich is celebrating its 850^th birthday this year. The celebrations that have begun last month (June) would culminate in the Oktoberfest. The festivities include dance, music, theatre and folk performances on the streets.

Out of the 16 states of Germany, Bavaria is the largest, and possibly the richest as well. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is a major tourist spot that has flourished through the centuries due to the presence of the Alps and the Danube regions.

Ancient and modern churches define the city’s silhouette.

The Frauenkirche or the Cathedral of Our Lady is the largest church. Located in the city center, the cathedral is a major landmark of Munich and a popular tourist attraction.

It dominates the city’s skyline and its belltowers, with their famous brass onion domes, can be seen from all directions. The cathedral, built in the late 15^th century in Gothic style, suffered major damage during the World War- II. But it has been restored to fine detail from inside out and unless one is told, no one can really make out the fine restoration work. From the tower of this church one can have a great view of Munich and the Alps.

The city of Munich was pretty much destroyed in the WW-II bombings, but the Germans took pictures of all buildings before the bombings started. So, after the war, the city was rebuilt to its previous grandeur building by building.

A short walk away from the cathedral is the church of St Peter’s opposite the Italian-style Baroque palace Nymphenburg built by Henriette, wife of Bavarian ruler Ferdinand. It is the oldest parish church in Munich, having ornate interiors decorated with works by masters from six centuries.

The city centre is the Marienplatz Square where the ancient as well as the new townhall is situated. Here one can watch the world famous human-shaped gargoyles dancing to the chime of the carillon twice a day at noon and 5 pm. This is when the square reverberates with the sounds of bells and clangs as the clocks call the hour, and pigeons indignantly flutter from their quiet perches.

There is also the Feldherrnhalle nearby where Adolf Hitler led an assault against the German Reich.

Close by is the Marienplatz where one can visit one of Europe’s best malls, 5 H`F6fe. Just a stone’s throw away is the most famous tavern in the world, the Hofbr`E4uhaus beer hall, which since 1644, offers the tourists some of the best beer brands of the world. The Hofbrauhaus has a carnival-like atmosphere all-year round. The interior looks like a huge festival tent, with long wooden row tables and a stage that often hosts Bavarian bands, whose members usually play trumpets, strings, accordions, drums, and other festive instruments.

Munich has something to offer to people of all ages and tastes. Whether one is interested in history, architecture or art; whether one enjoys strolling through parks, or fancy a trip to Bavaria Filmstadt in Munich. The studio is one of Germany’s largest film studios. Founded in 1919, it covers an area of approximately 356,000 square metres. Directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, Orson Welles, and many famous actors such as Sophia Loren, Gregory Peck and Elizabeth Taylor have all worked here. Visitors can take a guided tour of behind-the-scenes of film production.

Oktoberfest, one of the major tourist attractions, is known as the largest people’s fair in the world. The original Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig-I). It soon turned into a major annual event. Besides beer there is plenty of eating in the Oktoberfest. Traditional dishes like sauerkraut, bockwurst, pork knee and hundreds of varieties of sausages and frankfurters, are major draw of the fest

But this multi-faceted city is not all about beer swigging and eating. Munich is a storehouse of art and culture. The Pinakothek der Moderne museum brings together modern and contemporary paintings and sculpture, jewellery, graphic art and the architectural collection under one roof.`A0Antiquity fans can visit the Glyptothek museum. The old-walled city is another tourist attraction.

The Opera House is a gigantic structure with a graceful visage.

For shopping lovers Munich has a bevy of international brand stores just across the Bavarian Opera House.

This is good year to visit Munich as the city celebrates its 850^th birthday with a slew of events — NF

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