Munich wanderings

I never got round to posting some photos from my very brief visit to Munich during the Oktoberfest. I had better share some. Eamonn was a true gent and did me the courtesy of showing me around and buying me beer. How bad, as we say in Cork.

I do rather like this platz, Odeonsplatz, it has some historical significance.

It was from here that war was proclaimed in 1914, and a now infamous pictureexists of one Adolf Hitler lurking in the crowd just in front of the lion’s head to the right of my photo.

War, it was thought, would be over quite quickly. Hitler would later serve in the German army. The Feldherrenhalle is also where Hitler’s putsch ended in 1923. You can read a little history here.

This is the rather impressive St. Cajetan’s Church just beside. It was designed by Italian Agostino Baralli and was finished in 1768.

I did have a quick look around inside, but there was a Mass on so photos were awkward. On to the equally impressive new town hall (Neues Rathaus):

Reminded me a bit of the Houses of Parliament in London, with that whole Gothic revival thing going on. Very nice indeed.

And finally, another impressive Church, Frauenkirche, completed in 1488. Interestingly:

Much of the interior was destroyed during WWII, and even the restored parts look still plain by comparison. However, two of the attractions still can be found are the Gothic nave and the Teufelstritt, or Devil’s Footstep, at the entrance. This is a black mark resembling a footprint with a small hooked tail at the heel, which, according to legend, was where the devil stood when he curiously regarded and ridiculed the windowless church that Halsbach had built.

And it had some very interesting markings and gravestones on the side too.

I also liked this rather Disney looking building: