module 2: history of munich

Module 02

Munich Its History

Origin

‣ The German name of the city is München. It derived from the old German term Munichen meaning Home of the monks

‣ It is believed that the origins of the city can be traced back to a monastery, which was probably founded in 750 AD by the Benedictine monks

‣ In 1255 Munich became the home of the Wittelsbach family, which had succeeded to the duchy of Bavaria in 1180

http://wallerz.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/4668_neuschwanstein_castle.jpg

The Neuschwanstein Castle, about a two-hour drive from Munich

1300s - 1400s

‣ In 1327 most of the city was destroyed by a fire but was rebuilt and extended. New fortification was also added

‣ Another devastating fire destroyed parts of the city in 1429

‣ During late 1400s Munich underwent a revival of arts

‣ The Old Town Hall was enlarged and a new cathedral - the Frauenkirche - was constructed within 20 years starting in 1468


The Old Town Hall as it stands today


The Frauenkirche or the Cathedral of Our Dear Lady has become a symbol for the city with its two brick towers and onion domes

Giving Shape to Modern Munich

‣ Louis I was the king of Bavaria from 1825 to 1848, he planned and created modern Munich

‣ His architects established the city’s characteristic appearance in the public buildings they designed

‣ The period thereafter was Munich’s greatest period

‣ The city grew to occupy a place of prominence for arts and culture in Europe right unto the 1900s


A portrait of Louis I in 1830


Growth of Munich‣ In 1806 it became the capital of the new

Kingdom of Bavaria

‣ Many of the city's finest buildings belong to this period and were built under the reign of King Louis I

‣ The railways reached Munich in 1839, followed by trams in 1876 and electric lighting in 1882

‣ The city holds the credit of hosting Germany's first exhibition of electricity

‣ The Technical University of Munich was founded in 1868


A map of the town of Munich in 1858

Hurt by the Wars

‣ The rule of the Wittelsbach dynasty finally ended with the abdication of Louis III in November 1918 in the aftermath of World War I

‣ It was here in Munich that Adolf Hitler joined the Nazi Party and became its leader

‣ In World War II Munich suffered heavily from Allied bombing raids, which destroyed more than 40 percent of its buildings Louis III, the last ruler from the Wittelsbach dynasty to

reign over Munich

Modern Munich

‣ After World War II Munich was completely rebuilt

‣ In 1957 Munich's population passed the one million mark

‣ Munich was the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics

‣ In 1974 Germany hosted the football World Cup and several games were held in the city, including the German triumph against the Netherlands in a legendary final Tourists shopping for local cultural artifacts

Munich's Olympia Park played host to the 1972 Olympic Games

Olympia Park

‣ The Olympia Park serves as a venue for cultural, social and religious events

‣ The Park includes an Olympic Area, two Olympic Villages, a Media City and a Park area

‣ The Olympic Tower is also situated here and provides some incredible views of the city and the Alps

‣ The Olympic Tower is now home to the Rock Museum of Munich

The Olympic Tower lighting up the night sky

Attractions at the Olympia Park

‣ Roof Climb: This is a two-hour guided tour to the roof of the stadium. The view and the experience are both breath-taking

‣ Munich Olympic Walk of Stars: Since 2003 national and international stars from sport, music and entertainment have left - and will continue to leave - their everlasting mark along a pathway on the banks of the Olympic Lake

‣ Not just these there are many more unique experiences to enjoy here

An Aerial View of the Olympia Park

Oktoberfest

‣ Oktoberfest is an annual cultural fair held in Munich and is one of the world’s largest fairs

‣ Oktoberfest was first organized in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of King Ludwig I with Princess Therese von Sachsen- Hildburghausen

‣ Since 1810 the festival has been organized almost regularly and receives more than six million visitors every year

A parade during the Oktoberfest

Did you know…

World's Most Livable City

Munich was the

with the highest quality of life, in 2013*

*as ranked by Monocle, which is a global affairs and lifestyle magazine, 24-hour radio station, website, and media brand

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module 2: history of munich

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