Munich's big Birthday bash

The Bavarian capital turns 850

Featured June 08

The Bavarian capital turns 850

WORDS BY REBECCA PEARL

IT MAY NOT BE VERY OLD FOR A EUROPEAN CITY, but in 850 years Munich has transformed itself dramatically from a monastery town into a modern city. To celebrate in style, there are events all summer long under the motto Building Bridges.

This two-day street festival will take place in the city centre. There will be art, music and street performers. Wherever there is a festival in Munich, there is an abundance of stalls selling beer, sausages, fruit dipped in chocolate, and other goodies.

After the completion of renovation work at Munich’s oldest existing opera house, the Cuvilliés Theatre, performances will be resumed with Idomeneo. Mozart’s Munich opera is finally back where it was first performed in 1781. The first performance on 14th June is private, but the premiere on 18th June is open to the public. There will be further performances on 21st, 24th and 27th June and 1st and 5th July.

Take a theatrical and musical journey in time on the Old Town Ring Road. You’ll get a playful insight into the city’s past and present with dozens of performances.

This cultural weekend festival taking place at St Jakobs-Platz will include music, dance, light installations and street theatre, all of which have been designed to be family friendly. For a little top-up of Munich culture and to learn a bit more about the city and its history at the Stadtmuseum, visit the Jewish Museum, or take a tour around the synagogue.

This event will celebrate the building of a bridge across the River Isar by Henry the Lion in 1158. The most romantic of the summer festivals, there is a light installation, live music under the bridge and dancing on the riverbanks. www.muenchen.de

Fast fact
The 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was filmed in Munich, because it was significantly less expensive than locations in Los Angeles. The Old Gasworks was the exterior of the Chocolate Factory.

Fancy that
It’s quite likely that you’ll see nudists in Munich, lying on the banks of the River Isar, or catching some rays in the designated meadow in the English Garden. Freikörperkultur (free body culture, or FKK) has a long history in Germany. The idea was to break free of the strict social expectations by, well, letting it all hang out.

Screen gems
There are 84 cinemas in Munich, many of which show films in their original language.

Did you know
There’s a saying about the traditional Bavarian weisswurst (white sausage): “They should not be allowed to hear the church bells’ noon chime.” As it is very perishable, weisswurst is traditionally prepared early in the morning and eaten for breakfast.

Munich's big Birthday bash

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