A Trip to Munich, the Capital of Bavaria

Five cultural attractions in Munich

The Munich Residence is a palace in Munich, which was built by the municipality. It’s called Neuveste and was built in 1385. The building had gradually gained its overall appearance up until 1835 when King Louis I of Bavaria ordered architect Leo von Klenze to build a music and dance hall and a pharmacy wing. The construction works on the palace’s architecture finished in 1842. The building houses the famous Renaissance Antiquarium hall, which is 66 metres long. Albert V. of Bavaria had it built in the 16th century based on the blueprints by Jacopo Strada and Simon Zwitzel, so that he could have a place to store his collection of ancient sculptures. The palace hall now houses the Antiquarium museum room number 7.

Frauenkirche is a 15th-century cathedral built in the Gothic style. Its two towers have a different height – the north tower is 12 centimetres taller. They both measure approximately 98.50 metres in height, while the nave is 109 metres long, 40 metres wide and 37 metres tall. The cathedral can take in 20,000 people. Its typical features include the columns between which are stained-glass windows. There are two attractions you can see in the cathedral, namely the bishop’s crypt and the devil’s footprint. The bishop’s crypt, the resting place of the bishops of Munich and the Wittelsbach family members, is adorned with bronze figures.

Neues Rathaus with the Glockenspiel is the city hall that draws travellers with a lovely tourist attraction – the tower clock. It was designed by architect Georg von Hauberrisser in the Neo-Gothic style. It was made in 1905 at Marienplatz in Munich. At 11 a.m., 12 a.m. and 5 p.m., the clock plays out scenes from the city’s history, such as the wedding of the monarch William V, Duke of Bavaria, and Renata of Lorraine from 1568. The traditional dance called Schäfflertanz is also played out. It was the dance of the barrel makers after the end of the black death epidemic. When the clock strikes nine in the evening, the children are put to bed with the music of Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms, accompanied by a night watchman.

The Nymphenburg Palace is a baroque palace with a park and gardens, which were based on the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. The estate, together with the palace, was built in 1664 by the ruler Ferdinand Maria of Bavaria as a gift for his wife who gave birth to the long-awaited son and heir, Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria. The 229-hectare area comprises a confluence of multiple small streams and artificial lakes. The entire Nymphenburg area connects several small castles and palaces with various museums open to visitors. You can visit permanent exhibitions at the Erwin von Kreibig Museum, the Marstall museum houses in a former royal stables, the porcelain museum and the Museum of Man and Nature.

Siegestor is a triumphal arch with two piers and an entablature on which sits a statue, the country’s saint riding in a chariot with a lion-quadriga. The arch was built between 1843 and 1850 and was based on architect Friedrich von Gärtner’s plans. When laying out the plans for the Bavarian arch of triumph, he took inspiration from the Arch of Constantine in Rome. The statue of Bavaria was designed by sculptor Friedrich Brugger, and the lion-quadriga was designed by sculptor Johann von Halbig. The front side has an inscription that says “Dem bayerischen Heere”, dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army. Siegestor is located at the junction of the Ludwigstrasse and Leopoldstrasse, near the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. The monument has a historical value and is used for art projects.

Traditional cuisine and an afternoon nap

Bavarian cuisine with traditional dishes and a variety of choices can be experienced in restaurants and taverns called Wirsthaus. Traditional cuisine, as well as traditionally prepared dishes, are available in the city centre and its surroundings. Locally produced meat that is sold in shops and at the butcher’s is made using traditional recipes and then used in Bavarian meat dishes that are typical for Munich. The method of meat dish preparation is linked to the preparation of American fast food. German roasted chicken, braised pork, or beef, turkey or veal steak and weisswurst are culinary specialities of Bavaria that impress every meat lover. No meat dish is perfect without good beer, though. Beer is a specialty of its own in Munich, which is why Oktoberfest, the famous beer festival, is held in the city each year, and litre of beer can be bought for thirteen euros.

Culinary specialities made using herbs, chocolate and dried fruits go perfectly well with baked goods, which you can try at the old Bavarian pub with a restaurant, Hofbräuhaus. If you’re more into dried fruits and Belgian chocolates, you can treat yourself at Viktualienmarkt and relax in the market’s beer garden in the city’s old town. A selection of Bavarian cheeses or obazda, a prepared cheese dessert, with a pretzel, the Levantine tabouli salad, Bavarian aromatic spices and a glass of Munich kombucha make up for a culinary experience at Viktualienmarkt and will stay with you as a memory of your trip to Munich. Vegetarian and vegan food are prepared for all gourmets who like their food fresh.

If you’re craving an afternoon nap while exploring Munich, the world’s largest city park – the English Garden will be the perfect spot. It spans across an area of 375 hectares, and you can relax on a meadow or by the Eisbach rapids. The two-kilometre-long man-made river flows through the park and attracts river surfers with its artificial currents. You can find food and drinks offers at the Chinese Tower that was built in 1790 by architect Johann Baptist Lechner. The twenty-five-metre-high tower is the park’s distinguishing feature. It’s the centre of festivals and other events, such as Kocherlball, Japanese festival and Christmas market. Behind it, you can find Rumfordschlössl, a youth centre that invites young people to partake in cultural activities.

Explore Munich your way

You can make Wandering the Streets of Munich your way much easier with various benefits brought to you by Hostelling International Slovenia and its Globetrotter Web Magazine as well as its team of journalists who explore the world’s most beautiful destinations. It’s not different when it comes to Munich. We’ve explored it just so we could take away your worries before you visit the capital of Bavaria. Since here at Hostelling International Slovenia we can only help you out with all our benefits if you become a member, we kindly invite you to order your membership card which will bring you over 60,000 discounts. This will make exploring Munich with the help of Hostelling International Slovenia and all the benefits it provides a real travel experience the way you want it to be.

Secure your trip with World Nomads

Wherever you go, your trip can be safe, with simple and customisable international travel insurance for solo travellers and families. Get travel insurance through World Nomads and get a policy with 24-hour assistance and transport for medical emergencies, as well as cover for more than 220 sports and leisure activities on snow, water, air and land. The insurance policy may include, among other things, coverage for experiential activities, such as au pairs – part-time or voluntary work with children, working in a bar, fruit picking, office work, teaching and some other work abroad. Protect yourself or your family with World Nomads travel insurance.