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Munich City Guide

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:39:32 +0000

At the centre of the city is the Marienplatz - a large open square named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column in its centre - with the Old and the New Town Hall. Its tower contains the Rathaus-Glockenspiel. Three gates of the demolished medieval fortification have survived to this day - the Isartor in the east, the Sendlinger Tor in the south and the Karlstor in the west of the inner city. The Karlstor (destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards) leads up to the Stachus, a grand square dominated by the Justizpalast (Palace of Justice) and a fountain.
The TheatinerkircheThe Peterskirche close to Marienplatz is the oldest church of the inner city. It was first built during the Romanesque period, and was the focus of the early monastic settlement in Munich before the city’s official foundation in 1158. Nearby St. Peter the Gothic hall-church Heiliggeistkirche (The Church of the Holy Spirit) was converted to baroque style from 1724 onwards and looks down upon the Viktualienmarkt, the most popular market of Munich.
The Frauenkirche is the most famous building in the city centre and serves as cathedral for the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. The nearby Michaelskirche is the largest renaissance church north of the Alps, while the Theatinerkirche is a basilica in Italianate high baroque which had a major influence on Southern German baroque architecture. Its dome dominates the Odeonsplatz. Other baroque churches in the inner city which are worth a detour are the Bürgersaalkirche, the Dreifaltigkeitskirche, the St. Anna Damenstiftskirche and St. Anna im Lehel, the first rococo church in Bavaria. The Asamkirche was endowed and built by the Brothers Asam, pioneering artists of the rococo period.
The large Residenz palace complex (begun in 1385) on the edge of Munich’s Old Town ranks among Europe’s most significant museums of interior decoration. Having undergone several extensions, it contains also the treasury and the splendid rococo Cuvilliés Theatre. Next door to the Residenz the neo-classical opera, the National Theatre was erected.
Pending Berlin’s full recovery from its long period of division, MUNICH is the German city which most has the air of a capital about it. Even though it has never ruled over a territory any larger than the present-day Land, the grandiose palaces from Bavaria’s era as an independent kingdom give it the appearance of a metropolis of great importance. When this is added to a remarkable postwar economic record (courtesy of such hi-tech giants as the car manufacturer BMW, the aerospace company MBB and the electronics group Siemens), and to its hard-won status as the national trendsetter in fashion matters, it’s easy to see why Munich acts as a magnet to outsiders. Students flock here to study; the rich and jet-set like to live here, as do writers, painters, musicians and film-makers, while foreign nationals now make up more than a fifth of the population. Munich’s other, more familiar face is of a homely city of provincially minded locals whose zest for drinking, seen at an extreme during the annual Oktoberfest , is kept up all year round in cavernous beer halls and spacious gardens.The city is something of a late developer in German terms. It was founded in 1158 by Henry the Lion, the powerful Saxon duke who for a short time also ruled Bavaria, as a monastic village ( Mönchen means monks) and toll-collection point on the River Isar, a Danube tributary. In 1180, it was allocated to the Wittelsbachs , who ruled the province continuously until 1918 - the longest period achieved by any of the nation’s dynasties. Munich was initially overshadowed by Landshut, though it became the capital of the upper part of the divided duchy in 1255. Only in 1503 did it become capital of a united Bavaria, and it remained of relatively modest size until the nineteenth century, when it was expanded into a planned city of broad boulevards and spacious squares in accordance with its new role, granted by Napoleon, as a royal capital. Hitler began an even more ambitious construction programme in accordance with Munich’s special role as Hauptstadt der Bewegung “Capital city of the (Nazi) Movement”; thankfully, only a part of it was built, surviving to this day as a reminder of this inglorious chapter in the city’s history.

Despite its cosmopolitanism, Munich is small enough to be digestible in one visit, and has the added bonus of a great setting, the snow-dusted mountains and Alpine lakes just an hour’s drive away. The best time of year to come is from June to early October, when all the beer gardens, street cafés and bars are in full swing.

Holiday Inn Munich City

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:33:59 +0000

Munich, ®the world city with a heart®, welcomes business travellers and trade fair visitors, as well as private weekenders. The hotel Holiday Inn Munich - Schwabing, in the artists® and entertainment quarter of Schwabing, is the ideal starting point for all the attractions in the city. The Englischer Garten, the Munchner Freiheit, and the cafes and shops on the Leopoldstra®e are accessible on foot. Using public transport, you can travel comfortably in just a few minutes to the Marienplatz, the Allianz Arena, the Olympic Park, to the Oktoberfest or to one of the other many attractions in the city. The Munich trade fair, the venue for international conventions and trade fairs such as BAUMA, BAU, ISPO, IFAT and Analytica, is just 40 minutes away by public transport, and the airport just 30 minutes by taxi. The A9 motorway and the Mittlerer Ring are close by. The hotel Holiday Inn Munich - Schwabing has 362 air-conditioned rooms, equipped with high speed Internet access and W-Lan. Guests have free use of the new Business Center, the indoor swimming pool and sauna. 16 event rooms, furnished in a modern style, offer space for up to 600 people.***All rooms and public areas have been completely renovated ® enjoy our new style***

King’s Hotel First Class

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:31:19 +0000

King’s Hotel First Class is located approximately 150 meters from the central railway station and 22 miles from Munich Airport. Guests can enjoy the hotel’s sauna or solarium. Or enjoy a cold Bavarian beer at the International King’s Bar.

All rooms are equipped with four-poster canopied beds in Victorian style. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, desks, telephones, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards, minibars, refrigerators, and cable TV with in-room movies.

Mandarin Oriental Munich

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:29:37 +0000

For many people, the former Hotel Rafael, run by the Mandarin Oriental chain since 2000, is the best hotel in the city. Having said that, it is considerably smaller, more exclusive and dearer than other top-notch hotels. Its location in a tranquil part of the city centre is not the finest of addresses, but it is nevertheless peaceful and very central, with the National Theatre, Schauspielhaus and Marienplatz only a few minutes walk away. In terms of style the hotel is modern and spacious and the interior is second to none. The hotel restaurant, Mark’s, serves excellent haute cuisine.

Sheraton Munich Arabellapark Hotel

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:27:38 +0000

This Sheraton is a modern hotel located in the ArabellaPark district, less than a mile from the English Garden, and approximately 25 miles from Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport. This location is also less than four miles from Munich’s city center, the German Museum, and Olympic Park. Hotel amenities include the health club’s pool with waterfall and a panoramic view of the Alps. Brasserie Restaurant offers international cuisine and a buffet. Cafe Intermezzo is an informal lobby cafe. The hotel also offers a cocktail bar, room service, concierge assistance, currency exchange, a business center, babysitting, laundry facilities, and 24-hour front desk service.

All rooms feature seating areas, work desks, direct-dial telephones, trouser pressers, cable TV, minibars, and en-suite bathrooms with hairdryers.

Le Meridien Munich

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:18:08 +0000

Opposite the main railway station, Le Meridien Munich is located approximately 22 miles from Munich International Airport. Many of the city’s main attractions, including the Marienplatz Viktualienmarkt, the Bavarian State Opera, and the Hofbraeuhaus, are within walking distance. Hotel amenities include the barbershop, beauty salon, game room, jogging track, shops, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, tennis professional, and the Futuresse Wellness Center, measuring 750 square meters with indoor swimming pool, solarium, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath, massage rooms, and a full exercise room. Le Potager and La Traction Bar are also on site. Room service is available 24 hours. The hotel also offers airport transfers, babysitting service, videotape rental, 24-hour front desk and concierge, bell service, valet laundry service, currency exchange, doctor on call, florist, newsstand, outdoor and indoor parking, and valet parking.

All rooms feature air-conditioning, bathrobes and slippers (on request), cable TV, complimentary newspapers, dataports, full-length mirrors, hairdryers, high-speed Internet access, irons and ironing boards (on request), minibars, safes, umbrellas (on request), and voicemail.

Donisl

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:03:06 +0000

Donisl is what we expected in a large German beerhall and restaurant. Munich’s oldest, dating from the early 18th Century, seats over 500 on three floors plus extensive outdoor dining just removed from the Marienplatz. Ambience is a tourist’s delight - rustic and wooded decor, servers in traditional garb carrying large pitchers of beer, typical music heard in snatches over the general din, large menu filled with German and Bavarian treats - we liked this place. We enjoyed large entrees - crispy turkey breast and roast pork, sided with great dumplings and roast potatoes respectively along with properly cooked mixed vegetables. The gravy on the pork was spicy yet not overly thickened, a nice change. The menu is extensive. Hacker-Pschorr is the beer of the house. Another restaurant where the entrees were so large that desserts were out of the question.

Donisl seemed a surprisingly friendly restaurant even for two obvious Americans. During our stay, our older waitress found an interloper at a reserved table. When he refused to leave peacefully, she grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the table. She did not look like a woman used to being disobeyed and she wasn’t. Immediate eye contact with smiles to and from every table in our little section of the main dining room.

Theme: German/Austrian

Price: US$11-20

Comparison: about average

Address: Weinstrasse 1 - just north of Marienplatz

Chinesischer Turm

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:56:22 +0000

This is a wonderful place to be on a nice day. You have the choice of a fancy restaurant or the outdoor beer garden and food stands. This tip is primarily about the latter. It’s a convivial place with great scenery and shady relaxation. Don’t worry — you’ll find a place at one of the 7,000 seats in the beer garden. On some weekend afternoons, the pagoda doubles as a gazebo, and there’s live music.

The food is standard beer garden fare — good, but nothing special. If the “steckerlfisch” stand is open, try some mackerel on a stick — maybe with a pretzel or “pommes mit mayo.” The beer has recently switched from Löwenbräu to Münchener Hofbräu (the same beer served in the Hofbräuhaus). The new beer is much better, IMO.

Theme: Local

Price: US$11-20

Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Englischer Garten 3, D-80538 Muenchen

Phone: +49 89-38 38 73-0

Directions: 1) U3 or U6 to Giselastrasse. Walk, following signs to the Englischer Garten. Enter the park on the main road. Pagoda will be on your right. 2) U3 or U6 to Muenchener Freiheit or U4 to Prinzregenten Platz. Take Bus 54 directly to the pagoda.

Other Contact: info(at)chinaturm(dot)de

Hofbraukeller

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:52:50 +0000

Everything you imagine about a true Bavarian beer garden is here at the Hofbräukeller. Remember- this is NOT the Hofbräuhaus, overloaded with tourists and the occasional “planted” Bavarian Stammtisch to give it local color… the Hofbräukeller is a very authentic beer garden/restaurant in Haidhausen, on the Wienerplatz, across the Isar from the ‘main’ parts of Munich. Of course, there’ll be tourists here too, but it’s a bit more authentic than any other Biergarten on the other side of the Isar.

If you are staying closeby for a long period of time, then you can try everything on the (very large) menu. If it’s a one-time visit, then stick to the obvious: Bavarian cuisine and good bayerisches Bier. (It’s also very true to Bavarian form, in that Weißwurst isn’t served after 4PM.)

Theme: Local

Price: US$21-30

Comparison: about average

Address: Innere Wiener Str. 19 (Wienerplatz)

Phone: 089 / 45 99 25-0

Directions: U-Bahn or Trams to Max-Weber-Platz

Augustiner Bierhalle

admin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:47:11 +0000

First, there are three different Augustinerbräu sponsored bierhalls. The first in this pair of reviews is the Augustiner Bierhalle. This bierhalle is located in the pedestrian area between Karlsplatz and Marianplatz at Neuhauser Straße 27. While everyone should experience the Hofbräuhaus once, this is the place to return to. The food served in the downstairs restaurant is reasonable and excellent. The beer is inexpensive compared to a lot of the tourist places. The atmosphere is pure Bavarian. The biergarten is super with a very professional and friendly staff. Upstairs the actual bierhalle is lively and great fun. The other, the Augustinerbräuhaus, is on Landsburgerstrasse. I believe that this is as close to the true (by definition) beer halls in the world. Like all of the Augustiner establishments, the food is great and the staff is helpful and professional. The atmosphere is beautiful but rustic Bavarian and wonderful. My only complaint about this bierhalle is the same in all of them: smoke. Wherever one finds beer, food, and people, one will always find smoker’s in droves. Conclusion: if you want to experience the real Munich, Augustiner is the word. For me, the Augustiner Bierhalle and the Augustinerbrauhäus are the best values for the money in Munich.

The schweinsbraten, sauerbraten, and schuefle at both places are all excellent. The do their own butchering and meatcutting. All of the sauces are perfectly subtle and not overpowering. A friend had the eisbein (pork shank) which was also excellent. The beer (Augustiner) is the best.

Theme: German/Austrian

Price: US$11-20

Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Neuhauser Straße 27/Landsburgerstr. 19

Directions: within walking distance of the Hauptbahnhof (main train station)