MUNICH
The Bavarian city of Munich, centre of southern Germany,
is one of the country’s favourite tourist destinations,
offering a unique combination of modern flair and
traditional charm, all mixed together with a heavy
helping of “Gemutlichkeit”, the special German term for
hearty, happy, healthy togetherness.
Traditionally the city, famous for its breweries and
beer halls, conjures up images of jolly red-cheeked,
portly men in lederhosen, downing steins of beer. There
is plenty of this fun to be had, but Munich and the
Bavarian region has plenty more to recommend it to
visitors. The city has numerous great museums, art
treasures, hi-tech industries and gems of Gothic and
Baroque architecture. It is also the gateway to the
Bavarian Alps, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from
near and far.
Munich itself was founded in 1158 on the River Isar, and
acquired its name, Munchen (home of the monks) from its
first monastery. It was the monks that started the beer
brewing tradition for which the city is now world famous,
particularly since it started celebrating an annual beer
festival in 1810. Today close on six million people
visit the Oktoberfest every year, and consume more than
five and a half million litres of beer during its two-week
run. |