Munich was first mentioned in official documents in 1158. If you love the Bavarian capital and home of Oktoberfest, you may have heard the following story.
The story of one dispute, or How the first mention of Munich appeared
In 1158 Munich was also called “Munichen” (from the word “monks”). There was a major controversy that year, involving Bischof Otto von Freising and Heinrich der Löwen, monarch of the Welf dynasty. At the time, the salt business was extremely profitable. A customs house was located on the bridge over the Isar, which brought a good income to the local church feudal lord – the bishop. Henry the Lion ordered the destruction of the bridge along with the customs and built his own – just upstream, thus taking control of the salt trade. The settlement “with the monks” soon turned into a major center of trade.
The dispute was ended by Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa by issuing a special decree in favor of Henry the Lion, who at the same time had to pay the bishop a third of the proceeds from the sale of salt. In those days, the first mention of Munich appeared, from which its chronology went, and Heinrich Leo went down in history as the founder of the city.
A new turn in the history of Munich
Now back to the sensational find! What archaeologists have found in the very center of the Old Town, perhaps, will force the rewriting of the history of the Bavarian capital.
According to archival documents, it is believed that Munich as a city has existed for about eight centuries. However, an archaeological find indicates that urban life began here several decades earlier.
Ceramic and wood products, remains of furnaces – such a find was discovered by archaeologists at the end of last year. Remains of an old settlement were found on an area of approximately 150 square meters. Recently, scientists presented their conclusion: the age of the objects found dates back to approximately the XI or XII centuries.
It was ceramics that attracted the attention of archaeologists
And these are the oldest objects ever found in the historic center of Munich. Scientists attach great importance to ceramic products. “This sheds a whole new light on the history of the city,” Mathias Pfeil, head of the land department for the protection of historical monuments, told German news agencies. Probably, earlier this place was focused on pottery and turning.
What will be done with the archaeological find?
According to the official, no one had ever imagined that outside the city wall erected in the 13th century, public life already existed. This settlement existed here, presumably, until the XIII-XIX centuries, later becoming a suburb of the newly formed city.
The archaeological find was made by accident – while preparing the site for the construction of a new hotel on Hochbrückenstraße. It is about 300 kilometers from the Old Court, which was considered the birthplace of the city.
If the assumptions of archaeologists are correct, then Munich as an urban settlement appeared 60-70 years earlier than it is generally believed. And now what to do with such an unexpected find? All data has now been transferred to the scientists working on the “Archäologie München” project. They will have to figure out a difficult issue. Only after that will it be decided whether to rewrite the history of the city.
See also:
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Night watchman
Weis (s) e Stadtvogel promises a fascinating excursion to the historical sites of Munich. The night watchman (Nachtwächter) acts as a guide, who knows all the loopholes, hidden corners and many stories from the life of simple and noble inhabitants of the past centuries in the city.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Maid Marie-Louise
Nymphenburg Palace and Munich Residence can be visited accompanied by the talkative maid Marie Louise, who remembers well what the legendary Casanova did in the city, as well as many other piquant stories. The practical part of the excursion consists of teaching tourists to bow to the court and the skills of elegantly climbing and descending stairs.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Olympic Stadium
The Olympic stadium (Olympiastadion) was erected in the Bavarian capital in 1968-1972. Its hanging ceiling-shells look like giant tents. During a special thematic tour on the rooftop “Zeltdach-Tour” you can learn a lot about this architectural landmark and enjoy the view of the city, and especially daring participants are invited to descend on a rope – right on the field.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Means of transport
Some tourists prefer to walk around the cities exclusively on foot, but in Munich it will be difficult for them to resist the temptation to still use transport. The choice here is huge: from excursions on double-decker buses to rides in carriages and limousines, as well as historical trams. The subway shouldn’t be ignored either. There are stations in the Munich subway that are well worth a visit.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Segway
Two-wheeled self-balancing Segway scooters in Germany are no longer a surprise. In recent years, they have become quite common means of group or individual movement of tourists on city sidewalks and streets. Munich is no exception. Beginners can start out with a ride in the English Garden, stopping by the Eisbach brook, where Munich surfers gather.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Delicious excursions
There is hardly anyone who doubts that you can eat well and tasty in Munich. The choice of pubs and restaurants in the Bavarian capital is huge, and for special gluttons, special delicious excursions (Schlemmertouren) of the famous Viktualienmarkt food market are offered here.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Coffee tour
Munich is famous for its beer, but coffee traditions are also very old here. The travel agency Stattreisen München offers a thematic excursion “From a Turkish drink to a coffee to go” to the best coffee houses in the Bavarian capital. It begins in front of the oldest cafe in the city – Tambosi, which dates back to 1775.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Dark past
“Executioners, prostitutes and witches” or “Plague, cholera and syphilis” – these are the names of two thematic tours dedicated to Munich during the dark Middle Ages. They are led by guests from the past – guides in historical costumes. Participants will be able to learn, for example, that for three and a half centuries before the end of the 17th century, the city experienced as many as twenty-five plague epidemics, not to mention other misfortunes and disasters.
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Unusual excursions in Munich
Stories for children
In conclusion, we will mention the special excursions for children offered by the travel agency “Stadtdetektive”. Their heroes – profligate princesses, power-hungry dukes and other historical characters have left their traces in the city, the fascinating searches of which will be interesting not only for young sites of these walks.
Author: Tancred Gugish, Maxim Nelyubin
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