What you didn’t know about Munich, Germany.
Munich’s beauty isn’t just aesthetic, it’s rooted in centuries of monarchy, craftsmanship, cultural preservation, and a surprising amount of engineering genius.
The city was once the heart of the Wittelsbach dynasty, whose influence shaped everything from Munich’s architecture to its thriving arts scene. Many of the grand squares and palaces you wander through today were designed as intentional expressions of Bavarian identity. The English Garden, larger than Central Park, was one of Europe’s first public urban parks, founded in the 1700s as an experiment in creating green space for ordinary citizens. Munich is also home to a deep beer-brewing heritage governed by the Reinheitsgebot, a purity law from 1516 that still shapes Bavarian beer today. And beneath its calm exterior lies one of Europe’s strongest innovation corridors, BMW engineering labs, biotech research hubs, university think tanks, and tech startups that add a quiet hum of modernity to the historic streets. Even the river surfers in Eisbach aren’t just a quirky sight, they’re part of a decades-long subculture that turned a man-made channel into one of the most iconic urban waves in the world.
Five fascinations about Munich.
5. The English Garden is bigger than Central Park.
At over 900 acres, Munich’s beloved green space is one of the world’s largest urban parks, complete with beer gardens, surfers, and even a Japanese teahouse.
4. You can surf right in the middle of the city.
The Eisbach River’s man-made wave in the English Garden has become a legendary surf spot, drawing wetsuit-clad locals year-round, no matter how icy the water gets.
3. Oktoberfest started as a royal wedding celebration.
The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. It was so beloved, they just… kept doing it. Every year.
2. Munich was almost the capital of West Germany.
After WWII, Munich was a strong contender to be the new capital. But Bonn won out as a more neutral and symbolic choice, leaving Munich to rise as Germany’s cultural powerhouse instead.
1. The BMW headquarters was designed to look like a four-cylinder engine.
This iconic building isn’t just home to one of the world’s most famous car brands, it’s literally shaped to reflect BMW’s engineering DNA.
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