MÜNICH, Germany

Munich was one of the cleanest, most beautiful cities I have ever visited. I loved the atmosphere and the people, I would have loved to stay there in the city for the rest of the summer. I think that the fact that I have been living in Florence, a beautiful Renaissance city, for the last few months, made the contrast between the two places very drastic. Everything about the city was modern and I loved it all!

CONTEMPORARY ART ADVERTISEMENTS

The Brandhorst Museum was opened in Munich on May 21st 2009, making it the youngest museum I have visited in Europe. It displays about 200 exhibits from collection of modern art of the heirs of the Henkel trust Udo and Anette Brandhorst. The museum displays a comprehensive selection of about 100 works of Andy Warhol and more than 60 works of Cy Twombly. Cy Twombly greatly impressed me, and I am currently writing one of my final papers on his series, Lepanto for my Modern Art class.

OUTSIDE MUSEUM BRANDHORST

The building has a multi-colored facade composed of 36,000 vertical ceramic louvres in 23 different colored glazes, and was created by Sauerbruch Hutton architects, located next to the Pinakothek der Moderne in the Kunstareal. The museum also houses a collection of the illustrated books of Pablo Picasso since Udo and Anette Brandhorst were not only interested in the fine arts, but also in literature.

THE ALTE PINAKOTHEK

The Alte Pinakothek is an art museum situated in the Kunstareal in Munich, Germany. It is one of the oldest galleries in the world and houses one of the most famous collections of old master paintings. The name alludes to the time period covered by the art — the Neue Pinakothek covers 19th century art and the recently opened Pinakothek der Moderne exhibits modern art, all galleries are part of Munich's "Kunstareal."

ENDLESS HALLWAYS INTO ART EXHIBITS

The museum is under supervision of the Bavarian State Picture Collection which own also an expanded collection of several thousand European paintings from the 13th to 18th century. Especially its collection of Early Italian, Old German, Old Dutch and Flemish paintings belongs to the most important in the world. More than 800 of these paintings are exhibited in the Old Pinakothek.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST PETER PAUL RUBENS COLLECTION

Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an extravagant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. He is well-known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.

THE CLASSICAL SQUARE OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM

THE ALTE PINAKOTHEK MUSEUM
The Pinakothek Museums were among my favorite museums that I have ever visited. Their collections were to vast that I could have spent a whole day in each of the separate museums. I cannot wait to have the chance to visit Munich again simply so that I can visit these collections again.

THE PNAKOTHEK DER MODERNE MUSEUM

Designed by the German Architect Stephan Braunfels, the Pinakothek der Moderne was inaugurated in September 2002 after seven years of construction. The rectilinear facade, dominated by white and grey concrete, is interrupted by large windows and highrising columns, the latter supporting the extensive canopied roof. Each of the four corners of the building, connected by a central rotunda, is dedicated to a special collection. The Museum is thus divided into Art (Kunst), Architecture (Architektur), Design (Design) and Works on Paper (Graphik).

GATEWAY TO THE HEAD OF THE BAVARIAN STATE

THE GLYPTOTHEK AT NIGHT

The Glyptothek is a museum which was commissioned by the Bavarian King Ludwig I to house his collection of Greek and Roman sculptures (hence Glypto-, from the Greek root glyphein, to carve). It was designed by Leo von Klenze in the Neoclassical style, and built from 1816 to 1830.

KALEA IN THE NEPTUNE FOUNTAIN

DOWNTOWN MUNICH AT NIGHT
I cannot wait to return!

THE NEW TOWN HALL & GLOCKENSPIEL

The New Town Hall is a town hall at the northern part of Marienplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It hosts the city government including the city council, offices of the mayors and part of the administration.

MARIENPLATZ SQUARE

In the Middle Ages markets and tournaments were held in this city square. Marienplatz was named after the Mariensäule, a Marian column erected in its center in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation. Today the Marienplatz is dominated by the New City Hall on the north side. The Glockenspiel in the tower of the new city hall was inspired by these tournaments, and draws millions of tourists a year. At the east side Munich's Old City Hall is located. It's a Gothic council hall and ballroom and tower, which have been reconstructed.

OUR MUNICH BIKE TOUR GUIDE

INSIDE THE NYMPHENBURG PALACE SQUARE

The Nymphenburg Palace, "Nymph's Castle," is a Baroque palace in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The palace was the main summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria.The palace was commissioned by the prince-electoral couple Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy and designed by the Italian architect Agostino Barelli in 1664 after the birth of their son Maximilian II Emanuel. The central pavilion was completed in 1675.

GORGEOUS WHITE INTERIOR

IN THE HOFGARTEN NEAR
THE DOME OF THE STATE CHANCELLERY

The city's oldest park is the Hofgarten, near the Residenz, and dating back to the 16th century. Best known for the largest beer garden in the town is the former royal Hirschgarten, founded in 1780 for deer which still live there.

CATCHING OUR BREATH

ENGLISCHER GARTEN

The Englischer Garten, close to the city centre and covering an area of 3.7 km² (larger than Central Park in New York), is one of the world's largest urban public parks, and contains a nudist area, jogging tracks and bridle-paths. It was designed and laid out by Benjamin Thompson, Count of Rumford, an American, for both pleasure and as a work area for the city's vagrants and homeless. Nowadays it is entirely a park with a Biergarten at the Chinese Pagoda.

CHINESE TOWER BIER GARTEN

A "PROST" CHEER TO COMING BACK
TO MUNICH IN THE FUTURE

Beer garden is an open-air area, where beer is served and prepared, typically local food are also served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany (especially Bavaria). It is usually attached to a drinking establishment such as a public house or a German beer hall, which in places such as Munich may serve large numbers of customers (up to 8000 in the Hirschgarten).

THE TOTALLY PACKED BIER GARTEN

RIVER ISAR SURFING

ST. LUKAS CATHEDRAL

ANOTHER VIEW OF ST. LUKAS

VIKTUALIENMARKET FRESH FOOD MARKET

The Viktualienmarkt is a daily food market and a square in the center of Munich, Germany. The Viktualienmarkt developed from an original farmers’ market to a popular market for gourmets. The selection, variety and exclusiveness of the products offered contribute to the market’s special flair. 140 stalls and shops offer flowers, exotic fruit, game, poultry, spices, cheese, fish, juices etc.

I WANTED TWO TRY EVERYTHING!

VIEW OF THE CITY FROM FRAUENKIRCHE

The Frauenkirche ("Cathedral of Our Blessed Lady") is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Munich and Freising. It is a landmark and is considered a symbol of the Bavarian State Capital. The church towers are widely visible because of local height limits. The south tower can be climbed and offers a unique view of Munich and the nearby Alps.

SOME EXHAUSTED STUDENT TRAVELERS

THE PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE AT NIGHT

EASTER NIGHT VIGIL

ANOTHER AMAZING EUROPEAN CITY
I thought nothing on this trip could top Munich because I loved it so much.. but then I took a bus to the Neuschwanstien Castle the next morning..