Munich: art, treasures, religion and beer

Munich is proud to be the beer capital of the world (never mind who else may try to claim the title) so a visit to one of the famous breweries is a must. We went to the most famous, the Hofbräuhaus, but Paulaner, Löwenbräu and Augustiner are also worthy options.

The Residenz has been the seat of the Bavarian government for more than half a millennium and is well worth spending half a day in. The emphasis is on the richly decorated rooms but the small Treasury is also magnificent.

The Bavarians are known to open beer gardens in the middle of winter if the sun shines so visit a beer garden or any of the numerous open-air cafes. Beer with breakfast is quite acceptable here.

There are many churches in the Old Town ranging from the over the top Baroque Assamkirche to the restrained and airy Frauenkirche with its famous twin towers. Being a Roman Catholic city entry to all these churches is free and invites a quick peek inside.

Quick Tips:

Munich is München in German. The English spelling is seldom seen on notice boards and even a mispronunciation of the German will get you further than the English version. In addition the Bavarian dialect can be hard to follow even to other Germans so don’t be surprised if your school German doesn’t always cut it here.

Munich is frequently described by most Germans as the city they would prefer to live in. The quality of life is high and this elegant city is clearly rich. Despite the historical buildings most of Munich is a modern industrial city at the forefront of design and technology. The German Museum is the largest technology museum in the world and the BMW plant in the north of the city next to the 1972 Olympic Games grounds produces some of the most desired cars in the world (I certainly miss mine while blasting down the no speed restriction Autobahn in a Honda minivan).

Munich is a popular tourist destination so hotel prices can be high especially during big events such as Oktoberfest (middle September to early October). The most popular times to visit are spring, autumn and advent.

Best Way To Get Around:

Munich has 1.248 million inhabitants, 680,069 cars, and significantly fewer parking spaces. It is known as one of the most difficult cities in Germany to find an open parking space making illegal parking almost inevitable. That pleasure cost around 15 euros if fined, but around 150 euros and several hours of bureaucracy if your car is towed away. Although it is surprisingly easy to drive in the city it is best to leave the car parked at the hotel.

Large areas of the Old Town is a pedestrian zone making walking the only option. Even cyclists have to slow down for pedestrians here. Most of the sights in central Munich can easily be reached on foot. For sites further away the metro - U-Bahn and S-Bahn - is fast, efficient and safe.

Munich is a major railway hub with intercity trains to all parts of Germany as well as frequent connections to Austria and Italy - the latter often rather time consuming for the distance covered. Munich’s new airport is inconveniently far from downtown.

I didn’t make the reservation and didn’t pick the hotel, as its location alone would have put me off. Situated within easy walking distance from the Main Station it is nevertheless located with several similar hotels on the more interesting side of the station. I was surprised that it was actually possible to walk from the station to the hotel, if you pick your route carefully, without passing sex shops or gambling halls. That said you don’t have to walk more than a block from the hotel to find both and two blocks for a videothek with a selection of 128 porn movies per cubicle!

The hotel itself was not bad but also nothing exciting. The décor was particularly bland with only a single modern print poster to break the monotony of the purplish wall coating of the bedroom. The reasonably sized room had all the normal fittings and the bed was pretty comfortable too. The single chair was hard as a rock though - fine for writing two postcards but a back killer should you try to watch TV for more than five minutes from it. The bar fridge was not overly stocked so we could get some of our own stuff in without having to remove anything. The closets were of a fair size and there was enough space for suitcases. The bathroom was all white with modern stainless steel fittings and seemed to be a class above the rest of the room. My main complaint was the lack of air-conditioning. Although it was fairly cool on the days and nights that we visited the room was uncomfortably warm even with the window open. There was simply no draft and with an open window the noise levels from the busy street was intrusive at all hours of the night.

The personnel managed to be both friendly and efficient. A baby bed was delivered to the room shortly after check-in and coffee-making equipment was also sent up promptly. In the breakfasts room a baby chair was also retrieved from the back on both mornings.

The breakfast was included in the room rate and was fairly extensive with a wide selection of yogurts, cereals, breads, cheese, cold cuts, some seafood, fruit, and sweet pastries. The selection of hot food was limited to bacon, scrambled and boiled eggs and sausages. Freshly pressed orange juice was available, although the machine kept clogging up forcing most people to opt for regular juice. I didn’t see beer, which I frankly can’t face that early in the morning, but expensive tasting Sekt was available.

As I didn’t make the reservations I didn’t research the competition but I’m sure a more interesting hotel in a better location would have been available at a similar price. Although the hotel wasn’t bad at all it is highly unlikely that it would be my choice on future visits.

Euro 105 per night for a double room with breakfast, parking Euro 11 per day

The Hofbräuhaus is considered to be the most famous sight in Munich. The name translates into Brewery of the Court as it was founded by Duke William V of Bavaria in 1589 to reduce the cost of supplying the 600 court servants.

The Hofbräuhaus has three levels: a vast pillar free room with a stage and seating for up to a 1000 guests on the top floor, a traditional and quite upscale Bavarian restaurant on the first floor and the heart of the house, the bar at ground level with seating space for 1300. We chose this lively area for lunch. Never sit a table with a Stammtisch sign - these tables are reserved for members of the specified fraternity or organization.

It is noisy here, as you would expect of any beer hall worthy of the name. The oompah band strikes up well-known tunes and there is some singing, arm linking and swaying. Expect particularly loud cheering when a waiter drops a beer glass - it is hard to tell whether the patrons or the other waiters enjoy that the most!

Our waitress dressed in traditional Bavarian costume was rather petite and I wondered how she managed the reputed test of being able to carry five full tankards in each hand. She did come by once with four in one hand and food in the other without breaking a sweat. The table opposite us had one of the more famous larger and older Bavarian waitresses: when they say “Zahlen!” even Jay Leno will pay up rather than try a witticism.

Although soft drinks actually made it onto the menu, which varies daily, the main reason to come here is of course to drink beer and Hofbräu in various forms is the only brand. If you order a beer without specifying you’ll get a Mass of Hofbräu Original - a one liter glass of a refreshing beer with an alcohol content of 5,1%. For a half-liter ask for a Halbe. (I think you can also get 250 ml but can you face all the raised eyebrows?)

Although the menu is fairly extensive we all went for a selection of sausages ranging from the local specialty, Weisswurst, to more familiar Bratwurst and Wiener-like sausages accompanied by potatoes and sauerkraut. A special pretzel man comes by with baskets of pretzels - Euro 3 for a really big one. The portions were not particularly big, or maybe just looked small compared to the size of the beer but not taking any chances we rather opted for a flawless second Mass than risk overpaying for the food.

The beer goes for around Euro 6 per liter and food range from Euro 4 to 20.

Open from 9 am - 12 pm and yes, you can order a beer straight away, here as elsewhere in Munich nobody bats an eyelid if you prefer beer with your breakfast.

Am Platzl 9, 80311 Munich Tel: 089-892901360

www.hofbraeuhaus.de

After spending several hours inside the huge Residenz, where contrary to earlier times, food and drink are not generally available - at least not to the fare paying public - we felt rather hungry not to mention thirsty. There are numerous restaurants in the area leading from the Residenz to the pedestrian zone but a sudden burst of sunlight following a rainy morning caught most cafés owners out with their umbrellas well down. We couldn’t face lunch in unprotected sunshine nor inside a stuffy establishment while it is glorious outside. We didn’t feel like Italian and a simple sandwich wouldn’t do. However, by the time we reached Frauenkirche we became less choosy and decided to sit down at the first shady opportunity no matter what the cuisine.

As expected the outdoor restaurants near the cathedral did brisk trade but by luck we spotted an empty table and promptly sat down. Only when seeing the menu we realized we were at the Munich branch of one of the most famous Nuremberg bratwurst restaurants in Bavaria. Glöckl has a history in the catering business going back to 1390 and has been trading at this spot in the shade of the cathedral since 1893.

Service was surprisingly fast and friendly. We barely had time to sit down or the waitress was ready to take the drink orders. I settled for an Augustiner beer while my wife tried to sneak in a Diet Cola. We are still debating whether the waitress had a bemused or disgusted look on her face as she smirked and in no uncertain term assured us that no colas sullied the interior of this establishment. So my wife ordered Apfelschorle (a mix of apple juice and soda water) instead. However, she was given soda water and when I pointed it out the waitress totally unfazed said “OK I’ll bring you a glass of apple juice and just mix the two”!

I had the obvious - eight bratwurst with sauerkraut and sweet Bavarian mustard. I also had a couple of pretzels from the breadbasket - you must keep count yourself and tell the number to the waitress when asking for the bill. The sausages are grilled over beech wood and were as good as any I had in Nuremberg. My wife’s baked potato with herbed quark and chicken from the Menu of the Day was equally good and a generous portion.

In addition to bratwurst the restaurant has a full menu of Bavarian specialties ranging from soups to hearty meat dishes - lots of pork but also a fair amount of beef and veal. Prices range from Euro 7 to Euro 16 for the main courses. It is also possible to order larger party platters for bigger groups with a combination of sausages and similar snacks.

Glöckl is located at the far end of the Fraunkirche with an unrestricted view of its elegant exterior and famous twin onion dome towers.

Frauenplatz 9, 80331 München, Tel: 089-2919450, www.bratwurst-gloeckl.de

Prinz Myshkin is the most famous vegetarian restaurant in Munich - although given the well-known Bavarian love for meat I’m not sure to what extent it has competition. However, I previously read several rave reviews of the place and during this trip was determined to visit it.

We arrived shortly after six and were surprised that the restaurant was modern with an airy feel helped by the high white ceilings of this former brewery building. Large modern art paintings adorned the walls while the tables and floor were of dark wood. The large non-smoking section was on an elevated platform that afforded good views over the other diners. A large bar counter stretched along the full length of the one wall and is probably used to accommodate patrons waiting for a table.

The restaurant was fairly quiet when we arrived but by the time we placed our orders all other tables in the non-smoking section had reservation signs and the staff was in animated debate on how they were going to seat 15 people where there clearly was place for only 12.

The menu was quite comprehensive and took quite a while to work through - it had much more than just salads with a large selection of pastas and Asian food as well. Most food items had a wine recommendation as well although the latter looked a bit expensive. We had as starter of guacamole and tortilla chips. The latter was a bit salty but the portion was big enough for at least four people. As main course we had stuffed pasta with some kind of cheese filling and very appetizing herbs. The other dish was Malai Kofta - it had some dumpling looking balls of potato, various nuts and cheeses served with rice and a mild curry sauce. It was absolutely divine.

The portions were of a reasonable size allowing me to study the comprehensive dessert menu. Unfortunately at this stage my toddler had enough and to the relieve of all patrons, never mind the waiters who could use the extra four seats, we decided to have coffee and dessert elsewhere.

Prinz Myshkin is fairly expensive but the quality of the food and the ambiance are first rate. Although we are not vegetarian we shall certainly return in future.

Hackenstraße 2, 80331 Munich Tel: 089/26 55 96 www.prinz-myshkin.com

From the late fourteenth century until 1918 the Wittelsbach dynasty ruled Bavaria from the Residenz in Munich. Originally as Dukes, then Electors (from 1623) and finally as Kings (1806 - 1918). During this time rulers added to the building and redecorated according to personal taste. As a result no less than 112 rooms are currently open for public viewing.

We visited on a rainy spring Saturday morning but there were pleasantly few visitors. We met up with a guided tour only once in the two hours that we spend inside the museum. Guided tours are available as are several guidebooks that will guide you through the residence according to the official numeration of the rooms. Pamphlets with free maps are available in several languages and I found these maps more useful than those in the fairly thick guidebook.

The main attraction of the Residenz is the décor of the rooms. Furniture is far and few between although there are also extensive collections of porcelain and silverware. The real treasures are housed in the adjacent Treasury.

Arrows will point you along the recommended route, as not all rooms are open at all times. The Hall of Antiquities is the largest Renaissance Hall north of the Alps and has more than 300 busts that survived from the late sixteenth century. Several throne rooms are still intact as are formal bedrooms of divers rulers and their spouses.

One of the most impressive rooms is the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall). It is a hall 34 meters long with a richly decorated gilded ceiling with numerous large painting and tapestries on both the walls and the ceiling. The large central picture on the ceiling is a color photo of the painting that was lost during the Second World War. However, much of the art in the Residenz is the original as most items were removed for safe storage during the war.

The Rich Rooms are named for the extravagant Rococo style that was popular around 1700. During this period the Wittelsbachs were rich and flaunting it with expensive decorations and whimsies - in a small room called the Mirror Cabinet the reflections of several mirrors create the illusion of a long elegant passage. Kind of a Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors at a fraction of the price.

It is a long haul through all the passages and rooms of the Residenz and it all starts to flow together a bit towards the end. Fortunately most of the objects are large and easy to appreciate even while trotting through lesser-known halls on the way to the must sees. There are no breaks, no coffee shops and even the lone pair of toilets is hidden close to the entrance. I strongly recommend visiting the Treasury first.

Entry to the Residenz Museum is Euro 4.50 or Euro 8.50 when combined with the Schatzkammer.

Open daily 9 am to 6 pm - Thursday until 8 pm (10 - 4 in winter)

Residenzstraße 1, 80333 Munich Tel 089/29 06 71

As most of the Residenz comprised of lavishly decorated rooms, it may be prudent to start with the Schatzkammer where the focus is on smaller priceless objects. Excellent free audio guides are available at the entrance to the Treasury. Note the warning during the introduction: to hear all the commentary will require more than five hours so I recommend hearing the summary for each room and listen to the explanation of a few select objects, unless of course you have most of the day spare.

The first rooms contain the oldest and generally considered historically most significant objects. These are priceless jewels and objects d’art dating from the Middle Ages. The Wittelsbach family that ruled Bavaria from 1240 until 1918 acquired tremendous wealth and some of these articles have been in the family’s possession for centuries. Formally the Treasury was founded in 1565 but many pieces are significantly older and additions continued until the second part of the twentieth century. Some pieces were lost through war; others were gained the same way. The secularization of religious orders during the Napoleonic wars of the early nineteenth century presented a rare opportunity to fill the Treasury even further.

The crown of an English Queen, possible belonging to Anne of Bohemia wife of Richard II, is a favorite of most visitors to the first hall. However, it is the bejeweled reliquary of St George slaying the dragon, exhibited in the small third room that is the poster child of the Schatzkammer and the most popular item by far. This work dating from the late sixteenth century shows the moment when St George, the patron saint of the Wittlesbach family amongst others, slayed the dragon - the point of his sword stuck in the neck of the beast. The small sculpture stands only about 30 cm tall but is studded with pearls, diamonds and rubies on golden and enamel surfaces.

Also prominently displayed are the symbolic objects of the state of Bavaria such as the Orb, scepter and sword. Although Bavaria has been in existence since the early Middle Ages it only became a Kingdom in 1806 and these objects date from that period.

A whole room is dedicated to Bergkristall (Rock crystal) and quartz. The objects such as vases and decanters resemble old glass but are of course carved out of the crystal, which is sometimes called the ice of the gods because it resembles ice that never melts. Further rooms have golden works and more exotic objects from the earlier days of the European ventures into the Africa and the Orient.

Entry to the Residenz Schatkammer is Euro 4.50 or Euro 8.50 when combined with the Museum.

Open daily 9 am to 6 pm - Thursday until 8 pm (10 - 4 in winter)

Residenzstraße 1, 80333 Munich Tel 089/29 06 71

Munich Old Town has several interesting churches and as they are mostly Roman Catholic entry is free although you have to pay to climb the towers when available.

The oldest church is St Peter, which has a splendid interior and a climbable tower. The view from the top depends on the weather with the Alps looking surprisingly near on a clear day. However, even on a rainy day the view over the Old Town is magnificent and of course the best time to be at the top is when the carillon plays at the Rathaus.

Most famous of Munich’s churches is the Cathedral generally known as Frauenkirche. Its two onion shaped domes on its twin towers form the emblem of Munich. Compared to the baroque style of some other churches in the region its bright white interior is almost Spartan. Note the footprint of the devil at the entrance - see previous journal for explanation.

The Bürgersaal is closest to the plaza commonly known as Stachus - the official name is Karlsplatz - which marks the start of the Pedestrian Zone coming from the Main Station. The fairly simply hall with a rather low roof looks like nothing special. However here is the grave of Rupert Mayer a priest who spoke out against the Nazis and spent the war in Dachau concentration camp as a result. He died shortly after the end of the war and was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in 1987 Many pilgrims come to his grave. However architecturally far more interesting is the second floor, which is open only from 13:00 to 15:00. It is a beautiful baroque style but not too overdone for the simple reason that the original decorations were damage to the extend that complete reconstruction was deemed impossible.

Close by is St Michael - a church which used the more modern technology of the Rennaissance to create the impression of being much larger than it actually is. In contrast to the gothic churches, which commonly have three naves, here a single nave and the second largest dome in Europe make for a very airy interior.

I strongly recommend visiting the Assamkirche last. It was built by two Assam brothers who were famous for their Baroque interiors in churches in Bavaria, Switzerland and Austria. Built between1733 and 1746 this privately funded chapel adjacent to their house represents the climax of their art. The church is small, it has barely twelve rows of pews, but the interior is richly decorated like few others. Next to this the interiors of all the other churches mentioned look minimalist in comparison.

All these churches are rich in art and in all reasonable priced brochures are available explaining in excruciation detail all the works and the history of the churches. However, it is easier to ignore the details and simply enjoy the rich interiors at face value.

Most churches are open from around 8 am to 7 pm