Mid-day Warmth

Everyone is trying to coax the Spring weather into staying. It's also interesting to see what people tend to wear this time of year. It's a big mix of those staying bundled for the Winter with scarves and jackets, as well as the random t-shirt or American tourist in sandals. Then again you can always bring the butterflies along, too.

O Tannenbaum

People search for the perfect Christmas tree in the middle of the city. Nordmanns appear to be quite popular, although the trees come in many varieties, shapes, and sizes.

Traditionally the tree is put up on Christmas Eve, the 24th of December, and may remain until the 7th of January. Many Christmas traditions date back to Germany, however it seems like a lot of rushing around on Christmas Eve between getting a tree ready, having a visit from Christkind, going to Mass, and figuring out how to have time to cook something for dinner. Many families traditionally have wurst, which seems a bit uneventful.

Attention to Detail

It’s always so strange to walk into the Theatinerkirche in Munich.   The facade is so colorful and bold, and the inside is so white and intricate.  All of the inside has such a remarkably light feeling, thanks to its brilliant white color.  It seems the perfect place to see the sunset coming through the windows.  The Church was build in 1690, and today the structure takes up the better part of the block leading up to Odeonsplatz.  It’s really quite stunning to see from the royal gardens – the Hofgarten.  combine the gardens with the view of the Residence, the old market of Odeonsplatz, and the beautiful church – and you realize that this is Munich at its finest.

Having a Ball in Germany

Let me start out by saying, I’ve got NOTHING!  Despite everyone in the city talking about the German crushing of Australia in the first game of the World Cup, I’m afraid that I was not at one of the many beer gardens that I could hear from our living room window (so I use some other pic that looks like a ball again) .  I don’t think anyone, even Germans, expected the national team to come out so strong in the tournament.  Germany, generally considered a long shot for the title, sent a strong message to the world that it was ready.  If my information is correct, Germany scored more (non-penalty) goals than both teams combined in the 7 matches before this game – as they beat Australia 4-0.  Having watched the game on TV, it could have easily been 8-0.  Well, i’ll try to catch a bit more of the beer garden celebration over the coming days as we go into the second set of games.  Large screens are set up all around town for the event.

Let the Festivals Begin

This weekend marks the beginning of the Summer festival season in Munich, and the Altstadt has come to life.  Even on Sunday, you see an endless row of tents thanks to the Hamburger Fish Market (pictured here) in Wittelsbacherplatz, the Builders fest in Odeonzplatz, and the Craft Festival running along Theatinerstrasse – just to name a few.  Coming up, you have Munich’s birthday celebrated June 12-13, the Greenfarm Festival celebrating Irish music, among many others.  Pictured here, I just couldn’t resist taking a picture of such festive spirits – a stand selling Prosecco, Chablis, and Sangaria.  If none of that works out, you can always try the hundreds of beer gardens around town which have brought out big screen TVs for the World Cup matches.

Youth for Christ

As Church Days continues in Munich, you see no shortage of enthusiasm for the church.  It’s almost as if the groups have come out with even more energy as a show of support for the Catholic church that has been devastated by scandal in Germany and across Europe.  Here you find a youth Christian group singing at the main stage at OdeonsPlatz.  Most of downtown remained closed throughout the weekend as hundreds of community and church events occurred across Munich.  It seemed, everywhere you went around Munich, you see large Christian tour groups, many of which are wearing church symbols.

So Just How Catholic is Bavaria?

I’m not exactly sure, but enough for 300,000 participants to overtake the center of Munich as part of Church Days which kicked off yesterday.  The event kicked off with one of Europe’s largest outdoor masses (minus at St. Peters in Rome, of course).  And it was held where else – but at the Theresienwiese, where the Oktoberfest is held every year.  With more than 3000 political and religious events planned, this is stated to be the largest religious event of its kind in Europe.  The headlines in the paper read this morning – Music, religion, and no alcohol – which of course is a rare experience in Munich.  Pictured here is the backdrop of the big amphitheatre stage set up at Odeonsplatz, where down one street you could hear bands playing, and along the other there was absolute silence as large groups led prayers or processed through the city with a chain of more than 180,000 candle barers.  From the outside of the Altstadt, all you could see was that traffic at the center of the city was absolutely paralyzed, and that facilities all over town had been refitted to host church events.  Angela Merkel speaks on Friday, and even the pope made statements for the event about the need for stronger punishment of abusers in the church.  Amen to that.

Ludi & Leuchtenberg

Riding Past the Ludwig I statue on the street of his name, you get a quick glimpse of what buildings were like in Ludwig’s day.  In the background is the Palais Leuchtenberg.  The 250-room palace is the largest in Munich, and now houses the Bavarian Ministry of Finance. The buildings set the standard and the mold for all other buildings that still today line Ludwigstrasse. It also bumps up against Odeonsplatz, the Hofgarten, the Residence, Siemens Headquarters, and quite a few other prominent addresses in Munich.

Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame

 

At first glance it seems a bit strange.  In one of Munich’s most prominent squares, Odeonsplatz, there are statues of war leaders who oversaw two of the more significant losses in Bavaria’s military history.  Pictured is Karl Philipp von Wrede, who was defeated by Napoleon in 1814, and on the opposite arch is Johann Tserclaes, who was defeated by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden.  But upon further review, you find that both were quite decorated, and had successful careers leading the Bavarian army.  Tserclaes, known as the “Monk in Armor,” commanded the Imperial and Holy Roman Empire forces and had a string of victories over the Bohemians, Germans and later the Danish.  Where as Wrede distinguished himself in opposing the Austrian invasions of 1805 and 1809.

Going Underground

And now for another “man about town” as I showed yesterday. This popular image you will find at nearly all U-bahn stations and underpasses around town.  I took the photo because I was sure there was a good story behind this retro-looking symbol – complete with the hat, suit and complimentary swagger.  Yet I’ve looked and looked and can’t find any details about who designed it, how it was adopted as standard signage, what timeframe it’s from (my bet would be 40s to 50s, but that’s based upon an American’s perspective, not German), and possibly most important of all – does he have a great German name.  If you know of any details, please fill me in.

Dreaming of a Warmer Place

For the second day in a row, Munich was pounded with snow and temperatures ranging from a high of -4 and a low of -8. Local papers report that a record 19 inches of snow fell yesterday. Reportedly, 600 passengers spent the night in the airport last night after flights were cancelled. The Munich airport seemed to catch up today, and most flights took off - albeit a bit delayed. I witnessed a few faux avalanches today as huge puffs of snow fell from rooftops. Well for those sticking around, they are sure to see the heat go up at the Bayershererhof Hotel Fasching show (pictured here), but that may be the only heat around town - as temperatures are supposed to drop to -16 in the coming days, and the low doesn't get above freezing any time in the next 10 days.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Well, I suppose if it was the story of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it would be an alternate universe version as the original story takes place in England during WWII. Yet I was really stricken by these two young girls dressed in red at the base of the two Bavarian Lions at Odeonsplatz. The lions mark the entry of the Feldherrnhall, or Field Marshall's Hall at the base of Ludwigstrasse. Odeonsplatz is one of the more beautiful around Munich, at the conjunction between the Hofgarten, the Residenz, the Theatine Church, and the entry into Schwabing and the University District. The platz has no shortage of Munich history wrapped up into it, as it was formed in 1791 as the medieval city wall was was demolished.

East Meets West

At the Munich Residence you will find some of the best of oriental and European porcelain. What is the connection between the two? Porcelain was produced in China ever since the 10th century, but was exported throughout Europe and in the 17th century was perfected throughout much of Germany. It was at that time a production facility was built specifically for this purpose at Neudeck Castle, which was in the then suburb of Au, and then eventually moved to the northern section of the crescent in front of Nymphenburg Palace, where it still stands todays. The energy-generating and transmission plants are today regarded as engineering monuments, which nevertheless are up-to-date and function extremely well. The historical three-storey round kiln is still in working order. The factory is owned by the Bavarian State and is today run by the family foundation, the Wittelsbach Equalisation Fund. It is usually not available to the public, but I understand the manufacture offers every Wednesday at 10 a.m. a guided tour through the studio at a price of € 25. Call 179197-0, an early reservation is recommended as the number of participants is strictly limited.

Moon Over Munich

The moon shines bright at dusk over the Theater Church on Odeonsplatz. Turns out this is quite a rare scene this fall as Munich has been hit with a wash of rainy and cloudy days. Some have argued that Munich no longer has a Spring and Fall, but goes directly from Summer to winter, dropping 40 degrees Fahrenheit in 1-2 days – which is exactly what happened about two weeks ago. So we’ll enjoy the semi-clear days as we get them, especially with such a wonderful backdrop.

Italian Renaissance in Munich

Modeled after the Loggia die Lanzi in Florence, the Feldherrnhalle or Field Marshal‘s Hall is the most prominent structure in Munich’s Odeonsplatz and brings a bit of Italian renaissance to Bavaria. The monument was commissioned by King Ludwig I to honor the Bavarian army, but today it is best known for its role during the Beer Hall Uprising led by Adolf Hitler. 16 Nazis and four policemen were killed during the subsequent riots, and once the Nazis came to power, Odeonsplatz became a shrine to the fallen Nazi “martyrs.” All passers-by were required on threat of arrest to greet the honor guard with a Nazi salute. A small alley way behind the monument became almost as famous, called Viscardigasse, for all the locals who took the passage rather than being forced to give the Nazi salute. Today, Odeonsplatz is one of the cosmopolitan centers of Munich, at the intersection of Ludwigstrasse, Briennerstrasse, and the Royal Palace.

Twisted Metal

The Daily Photo Blog theme day for Aug. 1 is “Metal” and I couldn’t help sharing this image of a sea of twisted metal in this Theatinerhof café. The Theatinerhof is directly behind the Theatiner Church, and is a peaceful refuge off the always busy Odeonsplatz. You will find endless archways, and a wash of Italian Baroque Orange colors surrounding you. This particular spot, Café Arzmiller, views itself as one of the last traditional Munich coffee houses, and in hopes of addressing all the senses – owner Oscar Arzmiller promotes changing exhibitions from local artists. You can see a 360 degree view of the Theatinerhof here.

A Day at the Theatre (Church)

And to more pleasant images, a common view from the royal Hofgarten looking towards the Theatinerkirche or Theater Church. The church and the garden represent the tremendous Italian influence in Munich through its history. The Church was built in 1690, a process that took nearly 30 years, and created in Italian high-baroque. The dome and towers were added later and the façade was finally completed in 1768. The interior is a must for visitors to Munich. Amazing detail lines every spot in the Church which is lined with white stucco ornaments. You will also find much of the Wittlesbach family buried here, the royal court which led Bavaria for 750 years. The platz in front of the charge – Odeonsplatz – is the site of many cultural events throughout the year.

Perfect Symmetry

A lone musician plays a classical tune in temple of the Hofgarten. The pavilion was designed in 1615 with eight arches to divide the garden into eight beautifully symmetrical sections. If you’ve never seen this park, it’s well worth your trip. It is the old grounds of the residence. You will often find street musicians here, especially on weekends. Not your average banjo playing performer, but often a classical trained musician with a big crowd. We are talking about Munich afterall, well known for its classical music and its great musical history.

Europe is Ready…Euro 2008

Today kicks off the biggest sports tournament in Europe, the Euro 2008, pitting 16 national football teams against each other to see who is the best in Europe. And despite the fact that the tournament is hosted by Austria/Switzerland, you wouldn’t know it hanging out in Munich. Taking a page from their super successful World Cup, Germany is embracing the tournament as if it was their own. In fact, Germany is being picked by the odds makers to win the tournament (see sidebar). Go to any of the major beer gardens, and huge screens are set up to keep the party going. I’m convinced that Munich will look for any reason to party, and according to locals fussball is one of the best reasons. These boys gave an appropriate warm up in a make shift soccer field in Odeonsplatz. Fussball is everywhere!

Munich Posh

Despite the fact that jeans wear well in most of Munich, there are pockets of the city that seem ultra chic. One of those grand promenades is Brienner Strasse, where it connects with Odeonsplatz. You will find exclusive galleries, antique shops, cafes, and top of the line clothing stores like this shot of the Hackett Store. Brienner Strasse is likely considered Munich’s 2nd shopping street after the Haute Couture center on Maximillian Strasse, which is home to the famed “schicki-micki” as the city’s fashionable set are known. In fact, Brienner Strasse is one of the four royal avenues constructed under the reign of Maximilian I around 1812. Today, it is simply the trail of the jet-set crowd.