Munich | The Best Travel Destinations

Herrenchiemsee Palace

Herrenchiemsee Palace

Herrenchiemsee Palace was King Ludwig’s final and most extravagant project, costing more than his other two castles (Neuschwanstein and Linderhof) combined. Erected in 1878, this regal palace stands on Herrenchiemsee Island in the centre of Bavaria’s largest lake. It is set in French stylized gardens with imposing marble fountains and long winding pathways which lead down to the shores of Lake Chiemsee.

Built in the image of Versailles, the Schloss was a tribute to the Sun King (King Louis XIV of France), whom Ludwig regarded as the epitome of monarchy. Although smaller than Versailles, the opulence and splendour of the palace interior equals, if not surpasses, that of the French original.

Continue reading Herrenchiemsee Palace

The BMW Museum

The BMW Museum is located near the Olympiapark in Munich and was established in 1972 shortly before the Summer Olympics opened. It deals with the history of the automobile manufacturer BMW. In connection with the construction of the BMW Welt, directly opposite the museum, it was renovated from 2004 to 2008. The museum reopened on June 21, 2008.

The architecture of the BMW museum

The BMW Museum was built at the same time as the Olympic Stadium with its famous tent roof and the BMW Builiding. Construction startet in 1971 and the Museum was opened in 1973. It was conceived and planned by the same architect, who designed the BMW Builiding: Professor Dr. Karl Schwanzer from Vienna gave these two buildings a very different shape, but nevertheless created a unique blend of architecture.

He made so revolutionary in their special style that they remain unique to this very day. The special technique applied when constructiong the BMW Building was that all 22 floors were built on the ground and then pulled up to the top, each floor suspended from the level above. One might therefore say the “Four-Cylinder” is a hanging house.

The museum, on the other hand, is designed as a “self-supporting body”: the reinforced concrete shell supports the roof. The spiral path inside the Museum rest entirely on the columns also supporting the four platforms which constantly increase in size the further up you go. The shell expands in size from a diameter of less than 20 metres (66 ft) to 41 metres (134.5 ft) at the top. In all – it is 19 metres (62 ft) high. Flying over the area in an aircraft you will see a huge BMW logo on the roof of the Museum.

The succes of the BMW Museum

The BMW Museum is one of the most popular company museums in Germany. And of all the companies sights in Munich, only the Deutsches Museum and the Neue Pinakothek (New Gallery) attract more visitors.

Each year some 250,000 people from all over the world come the BMW Museum – a story of success for which there are good reasons, because the BMW Museum does not just present the history of BMW and the engines, motorcycles and automobiles manufactured by the company in the course of its first 75 years.

Rather, the BMW Museum achieves an entirely different goal. It enables its visitors to marvel at the horizons of transport technology through the eyes of five generations.

Continue reading The BMW Museum – Munich, GERMANY

Oktoberfest - Munich

The Munich Oktoberfest – known by the locals as the “Wiesn” – is the biggest public festival in the world and will be held in 2009 for the 176th time. Each year, the Oktoberfest is attended by around 6 million visitors, who drink more than 5 million liters of beer and consume over 200,000 pairs of pork sausages – mostly in the “beer tents” put up by the traditional Munich breweries.

At the foot of the Bavaria statue, the huge Oktoberfest grounds also provide carousels, roller coasters and all the spectacular fun of the fair for the enjoyment and excitement of visitors of all ages.

The festivities are accompanied by a program of events, including the Grand Entry of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries, the Costume and Riflemen’s Procession, and a concert involving all the brass bands represented at the “Wiesn”.

The Oktoberfest will take place from 18th September until 3th October 2010.

Continue reading Oktoberfest – Munich